On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex
On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex
Review Copy from Chronicle Books
Opening pages of On Account of the Gum show the main character, a white girl, tucked in bed, happily chewing a wad of pink gum that, on the following page, can be seen falling out of her mouth as she dozes off. By the time she wakes up and realizes the gum ended up in her hair, we have reached the title page and the madness begins. With mostly rhyming conversational text, an off-the-page narrator sizes up the problem and searches for solutions with escalating, over the top silliness as each remedy gets stuck in the gum. From scissors to butter, grass, a cat and a vacuum, the expressions on the girl's face are as entertaining as each ridiculous addition. Grandpa, siblings, an aunt and eventually fire fighters and a police officer try to help, with no luck. The climax, which involves an industrial grade fan and a pot of chili, ends when the girl yells, "STOP!" An surprise solution is followed by the kicker - it's school picture day. The final pages show the girl doing her best to smile for the camera with all the crazy cures stuck on her head.
On Account of the Gum is Rex at his weird, wonderful best. He has been illustrating picture books by other authors and authoring, but not illustrating lately and it's great to see him doing what he does best.
Written and Illustrated by Adam Rex
(and a few reviewed by me)
Excellent humorous-horror-poetry with stunning illustrations...
LOVE this book! Why have I never reviewed it?
Written by Adam Rex
Written by Mac Barnett & Illustrated by Adam Rex
Another FAVORITE read out loud I've never reviewed...
Illustrated by Adam Rex
Neil Gaiman's Panda Trilogy
Adam Rex's middle grade (and sole YA) novels
My All-Time Favorite
