What is the scariest vegetable of all time? Broccoli?
Rutabaga? Black olives,
perhaps? Kids have been debating this
question for centuries. If you asked Jasper Rabbit, however, he would
tell you that you’re barking up the wrong produce aisle. Everyone knows that the scariest vegetable of
all time is any vegetable that follows you home.
At least everyone knows this who has read Creepy Carrots!, a
brilliant new picture book by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown.
Creepy Carrots! chronicles the harrowing journey of Jasper Rabbit,
a young bunny whose greed for carrots proves to be his own undoing. Jasper loves carrots. He can’t get enough of them, especially the
ones from Crackenhopper field. But one
day, as Jasper is about to help himself to another snack, he hears it – “The
soft . . . sinister . . . tunktunktunk
of carrots creeping.”
From there it goes from bad to worse. Paranoid Jasper sees the creeping carrots
everywhere: in his bathtub, in the garden shed and even in his bedroom at
night. Or does he? Every time a grown up enters the picture it
seems that Jasper is just suffering from an overactive imagination. There’s nothing to be worried about or so it
seems.
Is Jasper crazy or are the vegetables really out to get him? That is the sheer joy of reading Creepy
Carrots! It keeps you guessing until the
very satisfying end.
Reynolds’ tight text coupled with Brown’s ominous black and
white (and orange) drawings strike the perfect almost spooky tone for 4-8 year
olds. It’s sure to entertain any kids
who love a little moody mystery in their picture books.
Brown’s illustrations of the carrots are certainly creepy, but
probably not genuinely scary except to the most sensitive of younger kids. The exaggerated camera angles and shadowy
drawings contrast nicely with the soft, cuddly images of Jasper, creating what feels
like a tongue-in-cheek Twilight Zone for kids.
Speaking of which, fans of this book will also want to check
out Peter Brown’s Vimeo video, the Creepy Carrots Zone, which chronicles the
old movies and TV shows Brown watched to nail the right look for Jasper’s tale.
Guess what, Peter? It
worked. Not only is this book a blast,
but it would make a great read for parents who want an entertaining excuse to
talk about their child’s fears, greed or even the impact we have on the
environment.
But for those who are simply looking for a playful story
with cool visuals, Creepy Carrots! does not disappoint. Creepy Carrots! is published by Simon and
Shuster and is available in both hardcover and as an e-book in the Kindle, Nook
and iBook stores beginning August 21..
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy of Creepy
Carrots!, at my request, for this review.
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