Review #13: Knuckleheads

Dad:  We're all gathered around a special secret package that came in the mail!  From a very nice person...
Isaac (age 10):  It looks like a book!
Dad:  And we're going to record a Bookie Woogie review as we unveil it...
Isaac:  "Knuckleheads!"  This one looks good.
Dad:  So, what do the characters look like?
Isaac:  Hands...
Gracie (age 8):  That's why they're called Knuckleheads.
Isaac:  I think that's a nose though...
Dad:  Yep.  "Nose White"  Here are the four stories in the book: "Handsel and Gretel," "Handerella," "Thumbelina," and "Nose White."
Isaac:  I want to see this book!  I want to read!  I want to read!
Dad:  Wowsers, you're excited...  Okay this is "Knuckle Heads," written by Joan Holub, illustrated by Michael Slack.
Gracie:  I want to read "Handerella" first!
Isaac:  I want to read "Thumbelina."
Dad:  Well we're going to read all of them...

Reading commences....
...Reading concludes.

Dad:  So what did you think of "Knuckleheads," you knuckleheads?
Isaac:  It's good!
Gracie:  It's really good!  Awesome!
Lily (age 5):  There was a lot of stuff with hands.
Isaac:  Hands, hands, hands, hands, and one white glove.
Gracie:  And a nose.
Isaac:  And an oven mitt.  And a foot.
Gracie:  The pictures look like "Scrambled States of America" and "Arnie the Doughnut" because the drawings are kind of cut-papery and there are little picture-thingies off to the side of the pages.
Isaac:  There were lots of jokes.
Lily:  There was "finger food..."  like, because they have fingers.
Isaac:  I realize why the police said "caught you red-handed..."  Get it - she has the red oven mitt on.
Gracie:  The evil oven mitt...
Dad:  Did you catch any other hand jokes?
Isaac:  Catch them?  The police would have to catch them.
Dad:  Ha ha...  I see you're making up your own jokes now.
Gracie:  The book had "step sisters" - get it?  Because they are made out of feet!
Lily:  And "thumbs up..."  Get it - Thumbs up!
Gracie:  "Hand in marriage..."  Get it - Hand in marriage...
Lily:  Get it!  Handing in my resignation!
Gracie:  Get it!  Shoe in!
Dad:  I kept thinking she was going to run out of hand puns, but she kept coming up with more and more.
Isaac:  Hands, hands, hands, hands...
Lily:  There were one, two, three, four stories in this book.
Dad:  How was the first story different from the normal Hansel and Gretel story?
Gracie:  It was a finger food house instead of a candy house.  They dropped fingernails instead of breadcrumbs.  And the kids didn't get along at all.
Lily:  When they got to the fingerfood eating house, that's when the bad, bad, bad, bad witch came.
Gracie:  The evil witch - she's green.  And she's evil.  And she's ugly.
Isaac:  Once she dressed up as a foot.
Gracie:  She's in every single story.  She's popular.
Dad:  She kind of ties all the stories together doesn't she.
Lily:  Get it!  Ties them!  You tie things with your fingers!
Dad:  What--  Now you're finding too many puns - even in places they don't belong!
Lily:  Hee hee!
Dad:  What did you think of the characters?
Isaac:  Hands, hands, hands, hands...
Lily:  I like Gretel.
Isaac:  I like Officer Whiteglove.  But, uggh - the teacher was freaky.
Gracie:  Thumbelina looks weird.  She's blue.
Lily:  I like her.  I think she's cute...
Isaac:  Thumbelina's story was fast.  Maybe the author did run out of jokes.
Lily:  I like Handerella.  She looked beauuuuu-ti-ful...
Gracie:  You always like all the girls.
Isaac:  I see a dog with fingers for ears...
Dad:  What is that stuff Handerella is holding -- it's disgusting.  It's got nail clippings in it.
Gracie:  Maybe it's the crud from between the step sisters' toes...
Dad:  Ewwwww...
Isaac:  Yuck.
Gracie:  The Hand-some Finger Prints had fingerprints floating over his head.
Lily:  Look at his crown - it's like fingers!
Gracie:  Oh, and this guy has weird hair on his knuckles.
Dad:  Do you see what all the guests are doing at the ball?  What are they spelling?  You guys know some sign language, don't you?
Gracie:  L - O - V - E... that's love!
Lily:  I like that girl....
Gracie:  Nose White has a ring on her nose -- which is her head.
Dad:  So, would you read "Knuckleheads" again?
Gracie:  Oh yeah baby.
Lily:  Let's read it again.  Now.
Dad:  Right now?  Guess so...  Lily is opening the pages as we speak...

handprint people, by Gracie

footprint person with toe people, by Lily

thumbprint people, by Isaac

Note: you can always click on the pictures for a larger view...

Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Michael Slack
Published, 2008: Chronicle Books
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