Basghetti Spaghetti

by Susanne Vettiger, Marie-Anne Raber (Illustrator)

Oscar, a little crab, has a problem. Whenever he is excited or nervous, his tongue gets all twisted, and he jumbles up his words. Even the prospect of his favorite food can trip him up, as he eagerly calls for more Basghetti. When his classmates ridicule his incomprehensible jabbering one day, Oscar runs away--""and winds up in the many arms of a kind octopus. The octopus has a plan to help Oscar. He invites Oscar aboard his sunken pirate ship, and comes up with a series of challenges and making fearsome pirate faces, clinging to a frighteningly high mast while reciting, chanting tongue-twisters to win target practice with a real cannon, even going on a treasure hung. Before long, Oscar's proven successes have boosted his confidence, and he is able to return to school to share his triumph. Here is a comical but reassuring story that offers an undersea look at a common childhood problem.

Genres: Picture Books

28 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lauren Gulisane · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept behind the book is good, but it's hard to read out loud. This book handles kids who get so nervous that they commit little spoonerisms. The mixing up of words is difficult to read, and this book is also a little long-winded for my 3-year-old to handle.