The Dodo’s Last Egg and Other Fiddle Fumble Stories. Paul Driessen. Montreal, PQ: Smith, Bonappétit & Son, 2005. 155 pp., pbk., $14.95. ISBN 1-897118-00-7. Subject Headings: Humorous stories. Children's stories, Canadian (English). Grades 1-4 / Ages 6-9. Review by Lorraine Douglas. *** /4

excerpt:

...the Dodo went to see the Elephant. She asked him, “Elephant, would you happen to know where my eggs might be?”

The elephant thought deeply for a while, but he could not remummber, he said. His voice sounded as if his nose was clogged, the Dodo thought.

And because the Elephant could not remummber...

..the Dodo went to see the Turtle. She asked him, “Turtle, would you happen to know where my eggs might be?”

The Turtle said he didn’t know what she was talking about. “Talalalking about,” he said. That’s a strange rattle he has when he talks, the Dodo thought.

This amusing book is filled with whimsical black and white line drawings and unusual short stories. The stories are easy to read and include the title story about the dodo, The Two Sand Holes, The Caterpillar who Made Mountains from Molehills, The Gentleman Who Was Terribly Frightened of Creepy-Crawlies, and The Lights. There are a lot of visual jokes which children will find quite funny as when the dodo is searching for her eggs and in the drawing on the opposite page you can see the egg in the elephant’s trunk!

     At first glance, this book appears to be a board book because of its small square shape and thickness, but these stories are not intended for a young audience of preschoolers. The cover gives us a hint of the quirkiness to come with its off-kilter hand lettering and the image of the dodo losing her egg. Those who like Monty Python and Shel Silverstein would enjoy these very easy to read stories.

     At first glance, this book appears to be a board book because of its small square shape and thickness, but these stories are not intended for a young audience of preschoolers. The cover gives us a hint of the quirkiness to come with its off-kilter hand lettering and the image of the dodo losing her egg. Those who like Monty Python and Shel Silverstein would enjoy these very easy to read stories.

Recommended.

Lorraine Douglas is an artist and writer living in Sidney, BC.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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