Guess Again!

Guess Again!

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4.1 of 5 stars 4.10  ·  rating details  ·  340 ratings  ·  126 reviews
Here is a book that will keep you guessing again and again and...
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published September 15th 2009 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Cheryl in CC NV
Oct 06, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who fight aging brains with mental exercise.
I'm telling you, I want this in my collection. Not only is it funny, but it's serious brain science (whether or not Adam and Mac realize it).

See, the thing is, I'm a fan of puzzles.* I'm experienced at looking for clues of all sorts. Of course I was solving the kinds of puzzles parodied here when I was a tot, and since then I've moved on to 'lateral thinking puzzles' and everything else I can get my hands on. But after reading this book, and getting so frustrated that I could not guess one solit...more
Abigail
May 13, 2010 Abigail rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young Children With a Sense of Humor
Recommended to Abigail by: Chandra
Shelves: picture-books
Review Temporarily Removed.
Linden
May 10, 2011 Linden rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Kindergarten through second graders
Recommended to Linden by: Powell's bookstore's online review for National Poetry Month
Mac Barnett's Guess Again! has the improbable pattern of establishing what the reader imagines as a standard rhyming book and breaks expectations in the best possible way. The book was such a hit that I read it to students before it was even processed.

As a testament of its value to the audience, I'd like to give an example from last Wednesday. A second grader, after hearing it, put a note in the book to ensure being in line to borrow it. He visited the library at each recess, looking for it to...more
paula
He steals carrots from the neighbor's yard.
His hair is soft, his teeth are hard.
His floppy ears are long and funny.
Can you guess who? That's right! My

[turn the page:]

Grandpa Ned.

This book will KILL at a kindergarten storytime. But first, let me address something. There are a batch of reviews on Amazon written by parents of two-year-olds, and in those reviews, those parents are a bit up in arms about the way that this book misled their children. "It seems somewhat odd that we parents spend so muc...more
Brandy

In this hilariously demented picture book, Barnett presents a series of rhymes encouraging children to guess who or what is hiding behind Rex's illustrations. The seemingly obvious conclusions to the rhymes are fractured again and again, to the certain delight of young readers. "What's furry, scurries, and has fleas? / Who climbs our counters and eats our cheese? / We've set up traps all through the house / But still can't catch that pesky--" Turning the page reveals the culprit cowering behind...more
Chandra
I'm a HUGE HUGE HUGE Adam Rex fan! I can't recommend his Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Pssst enough! He has a sly sense of humor that clever children really respond to. Those two books have been wise investments for us as they are among the top 10 most requested read alouds in our house. I can't say this is quite up to the level of those two, but truthfully not many books are! In this book he collaborates with Mac Barnett - children are encouraged to guess what a silhouetted object is based...more
Vicky
I loved this book so much! It was so unexpected and I was surprised at every page. Basically it's a book where kids have to guess what is being described. It seems easy at first, but the answers are not what you would expect. Here's one as an example: "He steals carrots from the neighbor's yard.His hair is soft, his teeth are hard.His floppy ears are long and funny.Can you guess who? That's right! My..." Now, at first guess you would think it's a rabbit, easy right? But, the book's title is Gues...more
Karin
Readers are asked to guess what/who is about to appear on the next page, under the flap, etc. after being given some clues. But you'll never guess - unless you're familiar with Grandpa Ned, the habits of flocks of abominable snow monsters, cheese-loving Vikings, and more. Rhyming text leads you to the obvious answer, which is quickly ruled out when the real culprits' identities are revealed. Crafty and funny. If I were a kid and someone were reading this to me, I would giggle and scream with del...more
Amy Musser
This silly guessing book will flip your perceptions upside down. Each page features a riddle next to a picture with an element missing or hidden. The riddle always asks the reader to guess what it is, but the answer is never exactly what you think!

The illustrations feature realistic set-ups for each of the riddles and then when the answer is revealed the hidden characters are slightly exaggerated, with big feet and ears. There are only 8 riddles in the book, just enough to so that kids figure o...more
Kate
Another surprising and funny book by Barnett, with the added joy of picture flaps. The surprises throughout the book are both in the writing and the illustrations. It is a silly twist on rhyming riddle books that give the reader a rhyming description of something, and using the rhyme, the reader guesses the object. The illustrator Adam Rex even gives the reader a hint about the object by showing it in shadow. Only, the object isn't what you think it is because Barnett surprises us by not honorin...more
Tricia Douglas
From the same author as Extra Yarn, Mac Barnett has written another winner. Riddles written in poetic form, the reader must try to guess the answer. But what answers they are! "He steals carrots from the neighbor's yard. His hair is soft, his teeth are hard. His floppy ears are long and funny. Can you guess who?" Barnett's sense of humor is funny enough to keep me laughing throughout the whole book. The answers are never what you'd expect. Be sure to find this book. You'll love it! No, I'm not g...more
Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance
Since I read this book to 32 classes, 650 kids, I think it should count in my total reads for the year.

Though it only has 32 pages.

And even though every page has only twenty words on it.

But it is a deep book. So it should count. No, it’s not really deep.

But clever. Yes, I think we can agree that it is quite clever.

Over the heads of most of my youngest library visitors. But, hey, they got some of it. Enough that it is now on the top 10 Most Checked Out Books list. And that’s what really make...more
J.
I rarely review picture books. I spend a couple hours each day reading them to my 18m old and 4y old, and they start to blend together after a while. This was a fun change of pace. I was laughing out loud and so were my husband and four year old. We were still laughing after reading out for the third time that day. I loved my kid's reaction to the end, when she has realized that the answer to the riddle would be strange and unexpected and yet the final riddle still surprises you.
Lisa Vegan
At age 6 I would have loved this book, especially on rereading. As it was, I got a couple chuckles out of it, and I read it only once. I would have liked it better (now and then) if it had more pages. As is, it felt rather slight to me. Kids who know the book will have fun sharing it with others not yet in the know. To tell the truth, given the author-illustrator duo, I was expecting a bit more, but it was funny and clever, and certainly different.
CJ
Okay, so I love to read kids' books! So what? When I read this to a couple of kids, one 7, the other 10, they both laughed and laughed when they got the wrong answer every time. I can read it over and over and still have theoretical milk coming out of my nose. However, when my husband (for whom I bought the book) read it to a group of 7-10-year-olds, most of them didn't get it. How sad for them! It's my kind of humor:-D
Karly Kovac
This book was definitely different than the others! I think it is cute if kids have a sense of humor for it, but if the kids are really little they probably wouldn't understand why all of their guesses are wrong. If the kids are older they will find humor in the fact that they are guessing wrong. I still think it is a cute book though, it is just better recommended for older kids rather than the really young ones.
Kimber Tate
Fun book which has silhouettes,moving doors and misleading pictures asking children to predict the answer to a riddle of sorts about the pictures. The answer is never expected.

Ways to Use With Children: An introduction to science and creating hypothesis. This book reminds children that when we do an experiment, the answer is not always what we expect, but we must test our questions.

Engineered Book
Becky
Dec 09, 2009 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 2nd grade and up
This guessing-game book looks like it's going to be like all the other preschool guessing books, leading you on with a missing rhyming word and even a silhouette of what you're supposed to guess. Thus, the joke is even funnier when neither the verbal or visual clue is anything you'd expect. It'd go right over the heads of preschoolers, but this would be hilarious to share with grade schoolers.
Dana
A fun picture book that uses cleaver poems as clues that invite readers to guess what is on the following page, and as the title says, you'll most likely have to "Guess Again!" Would be a great storytime for a small-ish group (everyone will want to chime in with their guess, which could be chaos in a large group) as long as no one has seen the book before and spoils the surprise.
Marie
Kids and their parents will crack up at this book! The text is written with the expected rhyming answering word left off. You turn the page and find something completely ridiculous instead. Where you are expecting "mouse" you get "Viking," with wonderfully funny illustrations. I can't wait to have a chance to share this with a group of kindergartners or older.
Jamie
This is a silly fun book and it totally surprises you. You can make predictions and talk about re-predicting and changing ideas as you read! You can also talk about what the answers would be if the book actually rhymed. Students can rewrite the book with hints and answers that are not what you expected, like this book.
Jim
We read this Mac Barnett / Adam Rex book the day after we read Chloe and the Lion.

And it's nearly as good. In some ways, it's funnier.

Cute little rhymes, and guessing what's hidden in the picture...but I won't add any more than that. It would take away from the book.

Find this and read it!
Charity Ambs
Not in SAPL. This book only works the first time but for the one time it works it's fantastic! Wish I could use it in a silly storytime. Misleading clues are followed by outlandish answers. My kids laughed and laughed and then felt obliged to go read the book to their dad.
Michelle
I might love Mac Barnett just a little bit!!!! I adore his books!!! You guess what an object is based on riddles that are filled with rhyme. The illustrations and rhyme lead you to a locigal answer but when you turn the page or lift the flap you get a very silly answer. FUN!
Almeta
Oct 10, 2012 Almeta rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Almeta by: Cheryl in CC NV
Cute illustrations and really short Shaggy Dog Stories. It reminds me of a young child re-telling a joke before they understand the necessary nuances and exact wording required to deliver a good punch line. The gag falls flat but the adults are still amused.
Shelby Usrey
Rhyming and the funny pictures makes this book a good book to read! For some kids they might get confused and frustrated because I will keep guessing and of course getting it wrong! But this book is very cute! I didn't expect this book to be like that!
Leah
Sep 16, 2011 Leah rated it 5 of 5 stars
Shelves: family
Clever and funny, my fourth grader couldn't wait to trick me with this story of mistaken assumptions and perfect rhyme scheme. While he still loves a good picture book, he loves the smug satisfaction that comes from tricking his mama more.
Kendra
This is a great rhyming book to read with kids that understand rhyming well. The author sets you up to "guess" what the end of the rhyme will be. When you turn the page you'll find that it's something completely NOT what you were expecting.
Sarah
Not a picture book for young children, this will appeal to grade scholars and would be fun to use in a class visit. The flaps don't seem like they will last, but this for some reason is in the poetry section so it wont circulate a ton!
Kathy Ellen Davis
Super fun, but what did you expect from this duo?
I love how kids will jump to the wrong conclusion every time.
And the real answers are just ridiculous.

Funny and great for rereading, even though you now "know" the answer!
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Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.
More about Mac Barnett...
Extra Yarn Chloe and the Lion The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (Brixton Brothers, #1) Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem

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