Reviews: (by author)

Silverstein, Shel. Runny Babbit. New York : HarperCollins, 2005. $17.99

Have you ever transposed the initial letters of words just to hear how fresh and unusual the language sounds? Welcome to the world of Runny Babbit, where transposition is the norm and silly misadventure is the order of the day. Accompanied by Silverstein's inimitable drawings, these rhyming vignettes are taken from Runny's daily life, and what a life it is! Runny is just a young bunny whose curiosity and spirit overrule his common sense in episode after linguistically scrambled episode. Along the way, we meet his friends Goctor Doose, Toe Jurtle, Ploppy Sig, and Rirty Dat (to name just a few). Once you get the hang of it, the text begins to sort itself out for the ear more easily, but half the fun is getting there.

You'll certainly want to read this book aloud to thoroughly mine its hilarity. After a while, swapping initial consonants can get a bit contagious and you may find yourself thinking in Runny Babbitspeak. It's impossible to resist. This is one bunny fook you won't want to miss.

- Mark Janssen, March 2006

 

Silverstein, Shel. Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book. NY: Simon and Schuster, 1961 (in print). $11. ISBN 0-671-21148-X. Large quality paperback.

This is a classic, but it’s not a kids’ book. It’s for older readers who can savor its twisted, macabre humor. For those to whom that caveat applies, this is indeed a classic, hilarious in its unfailingly lethal or at least reprehensible “advice” to little children. Ominous Uncle Shelby, like W.C. Fields, is no fan of children; he encourages vandalism, sibling rivalry, theft, and lying. But of course this is Shel Silverstein and his genius is precisely in this play between the author/illustrator and the reader, who’s smart enough not to do as Uncle Shelby says. It’s tremendous fun.

Highly recommended
A. Allison Fall ‘04

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