  | Off-limits Author: Yoon, Helen | |
| Price: $22.58 | ||
Summary:
Dad's office is off-limits-which only makes it more intriguing to his curious young daughter. As soon as she sees an opening, she sneaks in to have a look around. After all, there's no harm in just looking, right? What she discovers is a magical wonderland of sticky tape, paper clips that make glorious strands, and a kaleidoscopic array of sticky notes. Who could possibly resist playing with those?
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 1.00 Points: .5 Quiz: 515160 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (10/01/21)
School Library Journal (+) (08/01/21)
Booklist (12/01/21)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/09/21)
The Hornbook (+) (00/11/21)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 08/01/2021 PreS-Gr 1—Working from home can have its ups and downs, especially when young children are around. One day, a man with scruffy blond hair departs from his office, carefully placing an "off-limits" sign on his door before setting off for the kitchen with his trusty canine companion. Soon, a young girl with wide eyes, lightly tan skin, and two dark French braids opens the door to the office, flicks the light on, and addressing readers, claims she is merely going to have a look around. "And I don't think anyone would miss one piece of tape. Just one little teeny tiny piece." What follows is a visual celebration of paper clips, document holders, and way too much tape in a confetti-laden tornado of color and movement. Once the damage is done, the girl sneaks back to her room to find an unexpected surprise: her father is rocking out among her toys with an audience of stuffed animals. This delightful story incorporates the wistful dreams of both parent and child alike, especially in the current WFH reality. Very few words are included in the narrative, as the illustrations do most of the storytelling. Pastel colors begin in drab hues, adding more color with the arrival of the little girl into the story. Readers will love observing the child engaging in a familiar rendition of pretend play, and dynamic visuals and playful textual placement will captivate the attention of a range of readers. Work is not always fun, but this enjoyable tale helps remind parents of the joys that come from an uncluttered desk and a variety of available office supplies. VERDICT This is a humorous and accessible story for young readers, and it is especially well suited to families in the throes of work from home.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L. - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 12/01/2021 After Daddy leaves his home office, his daughter slips in to look around. She takes “one little teeny-tiny piece” of tape, and then another, soon covering herself and the desk lamp. Next, she decorates the room with chains of paperclips and binder clips, followed by hundreds of colorful sticky-note squares. “Uh oh,” she says, “I’m in so much trouble.” But opening her bedroom door, she finds her father (who has presumably raided her costume collection) wearing a tiara-like headband, pastel wings, and red tutu while belting out a song for a large, appreciative audience of stuffed animals. “Uh oh,” he says. The last page shows father and daughter happily sipping tea together. The text reveals the characters’ thoughts and words, while the mixed-media illustrations capture the spirit of their personalities and escapades. The first picture of the orderly office in shades of gray contrasts sharply with its later appearance, wildly chaotic and joyously overdecorated with garlands of repurposed supplies. An amusing, original picture book that works well for reading aloud individually or in group settings. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
