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Thursday, August 3, 2017

Great, Now We've Got BARBARIANS! Written by John Carter Eaton and illustrated by Mark Fearing. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2017. $22.00 ages 4 and up

"Yup," said the exterminator,
"you've got barbarians, all
right. One of the worst cases
I've ever seen." Dad looked
around the house sadly. "Looks
like we're out of options," he
said. "I guess we'll have to move."

I couldn't avoid it anymore. There
was only one solution left."

Life can be very good ... until it isn't. So, when barbarians make their presence known after a young boy neglects to heed his mother's threat that the state of his room will surely encourage the arrival of pests, it should come as no surprise. His inattentive attitude doesn't change much, at the beginning. But, things change pretty quickly.

"They picked the marshmallows out
of my cereal when I wasn't looking.

They used my school supplies to scratch their hairy backs
and my toys to clean out their ears.

And when I got into bed, my blankets and pillows were gone.
The barbarians had stolen them to make forts."

It is an 'infestation' of pests and they need to be gone! The solution turns out to be an easy one. The proof is in the pudding, kids - listen to your mother! There is a little glitch, when the water doesn't get turned off in the tub. That event spawns a second visit. This time from pirates! Could there be a sequel in the offing?

A witty narration is accompanied by comic art that will have readers hooting. The endpapers are sure to encourage a chorus of 'ews!' and stories about familiar messes. Front to back papers change in relation to the story told.

Bring on the pirates!

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