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55th out of 156 books
—
14 voters
Have I Got a Book for You!
by
Mélanie Watt
Mr. Al Foxword is one persistent salesman! He will do just about anything to sell you this book. Al tries every trick of the trade. But just when you're ready to close the book on him, he comes up with a clever tactic you simply can't refuse!
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
2009
by Kids Can Press
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Aug 19, 2009
Abigail
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Mélanie Watt Fans / Young Readers with a Sense of Humor
Shelves:
picture-books
Review Temporarily Removed.
4 likes · like · see review
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Have I Got a Book For You! is a brightly illustrated and humorous book starring Mr. Al Foxword, "Salesman of the Month". The book plays off the stereotype of the greasy, "sly fox" salesman. Mr. Al Foxword, who is indeed a fox, will do anything and everything to get you to buy his book (the book that you are reading is the book he is trying to sell).
While I found the book to be quite funny, to understand the humor of salesman satire requires that the reader know a bit about the stereotypical sale...more
While I found the book to be quite funny, to understand the humor of salesman satire requires that the reader know a bit about the stereotypical sale...more
Watt, M. (2009). Have I Got a Book for You! Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.
9781554532896
Appetizer: Mr. Al Foxword is quite the salesman. He's sold a refrigerator to a penguin and an umbrella to a fish. And now, he's written the perfect book for you. And he's more than willing to tell you why.
As with Melanie Watt's other picturebooks, Have I Got a Book for You! is exceptionally creative and meta-fictive.
But I have to say, I did not enjoy it as much as her other books. Not nearly as much. I think...more
9781554532896
Appetizer: Mr. Al Foxword is quite the salesman. He's sold a refrigerator to a penguin and an umbrella to a fish. And now, he's written the perfect book for you. And he's more than willing to tell you why.
As with Melanie Watt's other picturebooks, Have I Got a Book for You! is exceptionally creative and meta-fictive.
But I have to say, I did not enjoy it as much as her other books. Not nearly as much. I think...more
Having just recently read Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by the same author, I saw this at the library and figured I'd give it a try.
The art is much the same as the Scaredy Squirrel books, and I quite like Watt's illustrations. This book was not an exception to that. The pictures are great as always.
The plot is where it loses points for me. There wasn't really a purpose in this book. It was funny, and I think kids would get a kick out of Al's persistence in selling this book. Even I had to laugh...more
The art is much the same as the Scaredy Squirrel books, and I quite like Watt's illustrations. This book was not an exception to that. The pictures are great as always.
The plot is where it loses points for me. There wasn't really a purpose in this book. It was funny, and I think kids would get a kick out of Al's persistence in selling this book. Even I had to laugh...more
Infectious, exuberant, and tongue-in-cheek humor at its finest. This book, and Mr.Al Foxword, salesman extraordinaire, begs to be read aloud. 100% satisfaction, guaranteed.
I'm using it to hook my 3rd and 4th graders into our new unit - Celebrate Reading and Readers.
There is a PDF by Kids Can Press with book extension ideas, always a generous addendum by book publishers.
Other schools are uploading reading commercials to Youtube and SchoolTube. I think that's a fabulous idea and will be "steali...more
I'm using it to hook my 3rd and 4th graders into our new unit - Celebrate Reading and Readers.
There is a PDF by Kids Can Press with book extension ideas, always a generous addendum by book publishers.
Other schools are uploading reading commercials to Youtube and SchoolTube. I think that's a fabulous idea and will be "steali...more
Watt has set the bar for herself very very high with both Chester and Scaredy Squirrel. Before I even read this one I didn't find the concept very appealing. But it's Mélanie Watt so we had to give it a try. It's actually better than I was expecting. But, hey it's Mélanie Watt! And I'll admit it - she actually got me with that gag on the last page! There really is a sucker born every minute!
**Not for younger children**
I've got to agree with other reviewers. my 7 yr old is a sharp kid, but she was a little confused with the salesman-style pitching at work.
With a little work, we were able to talk about the lingo and why 1)penguins don't need refrigerators and 2)salesman try to sell things in sneaky ways when they are overstocked. This was a great conversation, but it was a hard sell and a long walk. I am encouraged that it could be more common because of the other really funny books...more
I've got to agree with other reviewers. my 7 yr old is a sharp kid, but she was a little confused with the salesman-style pitching at work.
With a little work, we were able to talk about the lingo and why 1)penguins don't need refrigerators and 2)salesman try to sell things in sneaky ways when they are overstocked. This was a great conversation, but it was a hard sell and a long walk. I am encouraged that it could be more common because of the other really funny books...more
A sly salesmen tries to convince the reader that he has got a book for you! Many advertising gimmicks are clearly described and elementary school students will be able to see through Mr. Al Foxwood's advertisement.
I plan to use this with my lovely 3rd graders to kick off our first extended unit of the year. The learn to be an Library Media Specialist -- they interview a friend about book preferences, search the catalog, locate a book, and create a bookmark to recommend the book they select. Thi...more
I plan to use this with my lovely 3rd graders to kick off our first extended unit of the year. The learn to be an Library Media Specialist -- they interview a friend about book preferences, search the catalog, locate a book, and create a bookmark to recommend the book they select. Thi...more
May 27, 2012
Kristilyn (Reading In Winter & Winter Distractions)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
borrowed,
read-in-2011
I adore Melanie Watt. When a friend of mine introduced me to her Scaredy Squirrel series of books and to Chester, I fell in love. Even though, at that point, I was in my late twenties, closer to thirty than I am to six-years-old, I couldn’t help falling for the cute little squirrel, or the big, fat cat — Watt’s stories and drawings are unique, fun, and full of colour.
Have I Got A Book For You! may not be my favourite book by Watt, but it definitely has the Watt charm. It’s full of humour and sti...more
Have I Got A Book For You! may not be my favourite book by Watt, but it definitely has the Watt charm. It’s full of humour and sti...more
I'm already a big fan of Melanie Watt's books. This one is lots of fun, too. I think it will be great for discussion of how advertisers might try to sell things to kids. They need to be wise and not fall for the transparent sales tactics. I'm going to use Have I Got a Book for You! with my first-graders and up, as we talk about Author's Purpose. This is the perfect book to illustrate the author's purpose "to persuade." (and "to entertain"). Mo Willems' Pigeon books are also excellent examples to...more
"Have I Got a Book for You" is a wonderful book to teach children about voice and advertisements. I really feel that this is a book that you could use with primary, intermediate or high school students. As a read aloud, students can really feel the sense of voice that the main character has, and they can make predictions about what other persuasive techniques he may use to get the audience to buy the book. Great ending too!
This book will only appeal to older readers as the humor is sophisticated and requires that the reader understand advertising and what it means to give a sales pitch. It really isn't a story, but merely an extended advertisement making fun of America's marketing ploys. Don't be fooled by the title into thinking this book is about reading. It is really about selling . . . even if you need to embellish or invent the truth!
My mom and I love it when a book talks about itself in itself, and stuff like that. In Grover's "Monster at the end of the book" he has fun with the readers, or rather listeners since its a preschool demographic. Also love "We are in a book" by Mo Willems, really good, Elephant and Piggie scheme to get us to read them again so it won't end, and ya know what? I did! So this one is good in those ways.
Melanie Watt (Scaredy Squirrel) is a master of tongue-in-cheek text, but in this title she outdoes herself. From the salesman-jacket-plaid endpapers, to the fine print, recognizable sales taglines, and visual tricks of the trade, this is fun on the surface and a gold mine for discussions with older readers about the world/words of advertising.
Mr. Al Foxword, salesman extraordinaire, will say or "do just about anything to get you to buy this book", as the front flap says. Every stereotypical salesman's line is offered up here, and played for laughs in a big way. This is another funny one from Melanie Watt, and one that would be perfect for teaching about Author's Purpose.
I also love this book - if you are in sales or manage a sales team this is a must read when you need to laugh at yourself a bit.
If you are a parent this book is a great place to open the door discussing advertising and pesky sales people.
The last page of the book is best!
If you are a parent this book is a great place to open the door discussing advertising and pesky sales people.
The last page of the book is best!
The end of this book made me guffaw, and then feel worried, and then guffaw again. You'll see what I mean. Great potential for readaloud, a la Pigeon, but for a slightly older crew.
The text is set in Hamburger Font. Normally, that would bother me, but it works! (font snob?)
The text is set in Hamburger Font. Normally, that would bother me, but it works! (font snob?)
My fiance is in marketing and sales, so I found this book to be delightful and what makes it so great is that it is right on the money, too! Our economy is driven by marketing and sales, so it's great to give kids a little awareness of this fact at an early age and do it with humor.
This book is great. Basically the main character is a salesperson trying to get you to buy his book (or to buy many copies of his book). It would be a great read aloud (info-mercial style). Plus teachers can also use this to talk about advertising techniques.
Picture Book 17
This was such a fun and humorous picture book! I love how energetic the main character salesman is, and his antics to get you to buy his book. Overall, I think that this book would be fun and intriguing for young children!
This was such a fun and humorous picture book! I love how energetic the main character salesman is, and his antics to get you to buy his book. Overall, I think that this book would be fun and intriguing for young children!
TOPICS
* reading
* choosing appropriate books
* books
* book care
* salesmen
* being persuasive
* advertising
IDEAS
* Use at the beginning of the year
* Persuasive speaking
* Model writing prompt: "Have I got a ________ for you"
* reading
* choosing appropriate books
* books
* book care
* salesmen
* being persuasive
* advertising
IDEAS
* Use at the beginning of the year
* Persuasive speaking
* Model writing prompt: "Have I got a ________ for you"
As with "You're Finally Here" I have a feeling this may be a funnier concept to adults than kids, but probably for kids over five this would be fine. But I'd take "Chester" over this any day, for anyone over four or five years old.
This latest book by Melanie Watt targets media literacy with it's slick car-salesman/shopping-network personality, a fox named Al, who attempts to sell you the very book you're reading. Aimed at older children and adults who have more experience of advertising and the media.
We love this author. I say "we" because a lot of her books appeal to an adult's sense of humor. My kids get the shmarmy salesman speak but they haven't yet lived it. It isn't part of their culture yet.
Very cute and funny, but some questionable uses for a book are offered. I was really hoping it would highlight the value of what's contained in a book, rather than focus on selling for the sake of selling.
Al Foxwood, the "sly fox" salesman, will say anything to get you to buy his book. Eventually, he is able to con you into "buying" his book.
Good for teachers to use in explaining "the hard sell"
Good for teachers to use in explaining "the hard sell"
Such a cute book. Little kids might not understand what is so funny about this book but it is a great way to teach children about sales and some of the not-so honest things salespeople do and say.
Imagine my horror upon opening a brand new library book and finding it ripped. Ripped! Then I realized it's all part of Melanie Watt's cleverness. How cheeky.
I don't know how familiar young children are with the slimy salesman stereotype, but it's funny nonetheless, even if it is basically an infomercial turned into a book.
I don't know how familiar young children are with the slimy salesman stereotype, but it's funny nonetheless, even if it is basically an infomercial turned into a book.
Think television spokesperson and you've got Al Foxword, Have I Got a Book for You's pitchman. This would make a cute introduction to a teacher's classroom library and book lending policy.
I love this book, but wonder how well it goes over with its intended audience. Would love to highlight this in a program or a pathfinder for teens on media literacy one day...
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