Chu's Day

by Neil Gaiman, Adam Rex (Illustrator)

Overview

A New York Times bestselling picture book from Newbery Medal–winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Adam Rex!

Chu is a little panda with a big sneeze. When Chu sneezes, bad things happen. But as Chu and his parents visit the library, the diner, and the circus, will anyone hear Chu when he starts to feel a familiar tickle in his nose?

Chu's Day is a story that reflects upon how young children aren't always listened to…sometimes to calamitous effect.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062017819
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/08/2013
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	413,178
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD340L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and multi-award winning author and creator of many beloved books, graphic novels, short stories, film, television and theatre for all ages. He is the recipient of the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and many Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Neil has adapted many of his works to television series, including Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and The Sandman. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College. For a lot more about his work, please visit: https://www.neilgaiman.com/

Adam Rex is the author of many books, including Cold Cereal and Unlucky Charms, the first two books in the Cold Cereal Saga; the New York Times bestselling picture books The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors and Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich; the middle grade novel The True Meaning of Smekday (now a major motion picture from Dreamworks, Home); and the teen novel Fat Vampire. He lives in Arizona with his wife.

Hometown:

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date of Birth:

November 10, 1960

Place of Birth:

Portchester, England

Education:

Attended Ardingly College Junior School, 1970-74, and Whitgift School, 1974-77

Website:

http://www.neilgaiman.com

Editorial Reviews

No wolves in the walls or button-eyed parents in this story about a baby panda named Chu. Yet Gaiman builds suspense from the enigmatic opening sentence (“When Chu sneezed, bad things happened”), which frames a portrait of the roly-poly protagonist, decked out in a striped T-shirt, aviator cap, and goggles. Gaiman maximizes anxiety by having Chu visit a tranquil library (“There was old-book-dust in the air”) and a crowded diner (“There was a lot of pepper in the air”). Twice, Chu’s anxious parents ask, “Are you going to sneeze?” and itchy-nosed Chu—snapping his goggles over his eyes in preparation—does not follow through. That evening, under a big top whose performing animals echo the menagerie in Rex’s Tree Ring Circus, Chu cannot resist, and his true power is revealed. Gaiman’s comic timing gets a boost from strategic book design and from Rex’s hyperreal paintings, which emphasize Chu’s round, fuzzy form and apparent harmlessness. Gaiman and Rex deliver a classic one-two-three punch, making hay from the notion that a cuddly baby panda is not to be trusted. Ages 4–8. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Kids will find the idea of a monstrous sneeze funny, and it may prompt some attempts of their own. Rex’s richly detailed illustrations are brimming with fantastic touches. Share this one at toddler storytime for lots of giggles, or one-on-one for spotting details in the art.” — Booklist

“Gaiman’s comic timing gets a boost from strategic book design and from Rex’s hyperreal paintings, which emphasize Chu’s round, fuzzy form and apparent harmlessness. Gaiman and Rex deliver a classic one-two-three punch, making hay from the notion that a cuddly baby panda is not to be trusted.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From the Publisher

Kids will find the idea of a monstrous sneeze funny, and it may prompt some attempts of their own. Rex’s richly detailed illustrations are brimming with fantastic touches. Share this one at toddler storytime for lots of giggles, or one-on-one for spotting details in the art.

Booklist

Kids will find the idea of a monstrous sneeze funny, and it may prompt some attempts of their own. Rex’s richly detailed illustrations are brimming with fantastic touches. Share this one at toddler storytime for lots of giggles, or one-on-one for spotting details in the art.

Booklist

PreS-K—A sweet, playful tale about a small panda with an extraordinary knack for inadvertently causing trouble. Chu's parents take him on several outings one day, frequently pausing to check that the youngster doesn't have to sneeze because, as the narrator warns, "When Chu sneezed, bad things happened." Though the dusty books at the library and pepper-infused air of a restaurant don't bring on a sneezing attack, the circus results in one that not only brings down the big-top tent, but also causes pandemonium throughout the town. Despite the simple story and unembellished text, there's more than enough in the art to keep readers engaged. A roly-poly panda in aviator glasses and a green-striped T-shirt, wide-eyed Chu cuts a comically endearing figure as he contorts his body and facial expressions in anticipation of a sneeze. The locations depicted in these richly saturated painted spreads have an old-fashioned flavor, and vintage touches are visible throughout: the pillbox hat his mother sports, card catalogs at the library, a gumball machine at the diner. These prim, orderly settings are the perfect setup for the chaos that Chu introduces, and there's a mischievous sense of humor that results from placing exotic anthropomorphic animals (squids, narwhals, giraffes, wombats) onto these decidedly conventional backdrops. While children will delight in seeing such a tiny creature wreak havoc, the story still concludes on a reassuring note, with Chu's parents gently tucking him in. A small but delightful dose of fun.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

A modest yet richly colorful day in the life of a small panda who may or may not sneeze, which may or may not be calamitous. "When Chu sneezed, bad things happened," portends the opening. Chu is an adorable panda kid in a striped T-shirt and aviator hat. Mellow white space surrounds him and his panda parents except when they arrive at the day's three destinations: the library, a diner and the circus. These settings are sumptuous spreads. Rex's oil paints showcase lights, darks and textures while populating the scenes with droll-looking animals and fine details to pore over. A circus turtle flies on a trapeze; library mice sit inside old-fashioned card-catalog drawers working on miniscule computers. Due to the library's "old-book-dust," Chu's mother knows to check: "Are you going to sneeze?"--"aah-aaah-Aaaah- / No, said Chu." That comical buildup and take back spreads across three pages, including a suspenseful page turn. At the circus, readers finally behold the power of a nasal expulsion. The climax is visually realistic yet dreamlike, with a nice, slyly deadpan ending that finds Chu's family somewhat better off than the rest of their town. The single problem with this book--potentially a deal breaker--is the use of this particular Chinese name for the sake of a sneeze pun. Weigh great art and clever story against the exploitation of the old, unfortunate cliché that Asian names sound funny. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews

It's always a treat when Neil Gaiman narrates his own work, and CHU'S DAY—a bite-sized nibble all of three minutes long—is no exception. Chu is a young panda with a truly impressive sneeze. Gaiman's voice is friendly while still maintaining a touch of the mysterious. He makes "There was old-book-dust in the air" sound like it could be the beginning of a spooky novel. His enthusiastic rendition of the windup to Chu's sneezes ("Aah- aaah- aaaah-") will have listeners of all ages giggling. Clever sound effects convey the result of Chu's sneeze, but listeners should be sure to seek out the picture book, too, to see Adam Rex's menagerie of rich, colorful animal illustrations. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2013 - AudioFile

It's always a treat when Neil Gaiman narrates his own work, and CHU'S DAY—a bite-sized nibble all of three minutes long—is no exception. Chu is a young panda with a truly impressive sneeze. Gaiman's voice is friendly while still maintaining a touch of the mysterious. He makes "There was old-book-dust in the air" sound like it could be the beginning of a spooky novel. His enthusiastic rendition of the windup to Chu's sneezes ("Aah- aaah- aaaah-") will have listeners of all ages giggling. Clever sound effects convey the result of Chu's sneeze, but listeners should be sure to seek out the picture book, too, to see Adam Rex's menagerie of rich, colorful animal illustrations. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2013 - AudioFile