  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 06/01/2013 K-Gr 2—Tony Baloney is back, this time in easy-reader format. The little macaroni penguin is excited about his first day of school, and even a bossy big sister can't bring him down. His stuffed animal, Dandelion, is nervous but Tony reassures him. The day doesn't go quite as smoothly as planned, but by simply being himself, Tony makes a friend and inspires levity in his rule-loving teacher. The vocabulary is too high for those just beginning school to tackle on their own. However, this would be a fun book for caregivers to share with a child starting school or for slightly older children to read independently. The universal topic, along with alliteration and humor, gives it wide appeal. Heavy use of primary colors makes the illustrations stand out, and Tony Baloney himself is appealingly drawn. An excellent first purchase.—Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2013 Macaroni penguin Tony Baloney, from the picture book Tony Baloney, is back in this easy reader about Tony’s school debut. Tony has a bit of trouble following his teacher’s rules, as he blurts out answers, tags his pal a little too hard at recess, and runs in the cafeteria, resulting in a dropped lunch tray. When a tumbled block tower engulfs his buddy, Tony wavers about whether or not to interrupt Mrs. Gamboney (“No interruptions, if you please, except for the B emergencies,” which are “bathroom,” “bandage,” or “belly-upset”), but decides that it is a B emergency: “Bob is buried beneath the blocks!” Tony’s outburst not only leads to a humorous class expansion of the emergency contingencies to include such things as “baboons on bicycles” and “banana bombs” but also earns him the title of “Friendship Ambassador,” much to his (and his stuffed toy Dandelion’s) delight. This will be welcomed teachers who want to instigate discussion about class or school rules with an enjoyably non-didactic text. Tony is an amiable little fellow, and his dialogue back-and-forth with Dandelion is gently amusing. Some of the text is on the higher end of the easy-reader spectrum, but this could be easily read aloud to preschoolers and kindergarteners, who will likely most relate to Tony. Fotheringham’s cheery digital illustrations feature lots of black, white, and grays for the penguin cast of characters, punched up with plenty of candy-colored hues. JH - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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