Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2017 Author and illustrator Silverstein may have died in 1999, but his oeuvre lives on. Runny Babbit (2005) here gets a companion piece. As the titles suggest, Silverstein uses spoonerisms—transposing the first letters or syllables of words for humorous effect—to enliven his rhyming text. And here, that effect is very, very humorous. There’s Runny Babbit’s disappointment when he buys a “hed rot” and there’s no “kustard” or “metchup” available (but that’s why the dogs cost a mere “sickel”). He’s excited when he gets a job being “cot out of a shannon,” and he loves dancing the “bitterjug” with his gal pal. All of the ditties are illustrated in Silverstein’s signature black-ink scrawl, producing pictures that are simple yet funny—and, once in a while, grotesque. Kids will laugh out loud at the silly wit, but parents, teachers, and librarians can use these spoonerisms as a jumping-off place to get kids writing and show them ways to have fun with language. Jood gob, Runny Babbit!HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: New Silverstein! That’s a dig beal. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

Booklist - 09/01/2017 Author and illustrator Silverstein may have died in 1999, but his oeuvre lives on. Runny Babbit (2005) here gets a companion piece. As the titles suggest, Silverstein uses spoonerisms—transposing the first letters or syllables of words for humorous effect—to enliven his rhyming text. And here, that effect is very, very humorous. There’s Runny Babbit’s disappointment when he buys a “hed rot” and there’s no “kustard” or “metchup” available (but that’s why the dogs cost a mere “sickel”). He’s excited when he gets a job being “cot out of a shannon,” and he loves dancing the “bitterjug” with his gal pal. All of the ditties are illustrated in Silverstein’s signature black-ink scrawl, producing pictures that are simple yet funny—and, once in a while, grotesque. Kids will laugh out loud at the silly wit, but parents, teachers, and librarians can use these spoonerisms as a jumping-off place to get kids writing and show them ways to have fun with language. Jood gob, Runny Babbit!HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: New Silverstein! That’s a dig beal. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2017 Gr 1–4–Eighteen years after the author's death and 12 years after the publication of the first collection of Runny Babbit spoonerisms, a new book of 41 "completed but unpublished works" has surfaced from Silverstein's archive. In this volume, Runny Babbit makes discoveries, enjoys himself, and finds his way out of more than a few scrapes. Each situation becomes wackier and more entertaining with the transposed first parts of words and syllables that create the spoonerisms: "Runny porgot his farachute/And plumped out of a jane./He landed right on Doc Ocrile/Who was randin' in the stain." Well-chosen words come together to form lines with natural rhythm and punch as well as endless opportunities for amusement. In one verse, a dragon tells Runny, "If I'm inpited to your varty,/then I'll fart your stire for you.'" The distinctive line illustrations provide not only more humor but also lovable personalities to wide-eyed Runny and the other characters he interacts with on the page. Readers can choose to dip in and out of this book, or, if they have real stamina for silliness, they can plow straight through. The volume ends as all great days do, with Ramma Mabbit reading stories like "Dumpty Humpty" and "Loldigocks and the Bee Threars" and a final good night poem to Runny Babbit "and all his foodland wriends." VERDICT A new Silverstein title is a welcome addition to all poetry shelves, and this one offers plenty of joy and laughter to those who read or listen to it read aloud.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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