Tap the page, shake the book, shout, clap and imagine a silly world of before-and-afters in this interactive picture book.
What happens when you knock on an egg? Flip a plate of sloppy spaghetti? Clap your hands near a tree full of birds?...OOPS! When children might otherwise be encouraged to be careful or quiet, in Oops! they are invited to explore cause and effect in mischievous scenarios without the real-life consequences. The results are often surprising and always fun!
February 1, 2023
An interactive picture book lures its readers into breaking with convention. From the very start, the text, translated from French, plays devil's advocate with its young readership. The book opens with a spread featuring a single egg and text reading, "Eggs are very breakable. Why don't you try knocking on this egg?" A turn of the page reveals that the child's knocking has resulted in a broken egg, a bright yellow chick, and "Oops!" Lest you mistake that "Oops!" for an apology, the next page shows a dozen more eggs, prompting readers to "Give them a whack!" Doing so, however, yields a sea of yolks and the pointed "Oops!" yet again. As the book continues, gentle chaos reigns and the narrator urges readers to transgress by squashing toothpaste tubes, dropping mugs, flipping full bowls of noodles, and more. Within the safety of the page, kids are allowed to indulge in a cathartic release of naughty inclinations. The simple, colorful pages leave readers in little doubt of the results of their "actions." Certainly children who flinch from deviating from the rules will find this book more perturbing than inspiring, but for others it may prove a joyful release. With just a hint of Shel Silverstein's Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book (1961), this work gives anarchic impulses a good name. (This book was reviewed digitally.) As unapologetic as it is gleeful. Rule abiders need not apply. (Picture book. 3-5)
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