Who's Upside Down?

by Crockett Johnson

A kangaroo in Australia studies a picture of the earth in a geography book and decides she must be upside down

27 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Crockett Johnson was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip Barnaby (1942–1952) and the Harold series of books beginning with Harold and the Purple Crayon. [From Wikipedia.]

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have loved this as a child, and I'm glad that it's available to the kids mentioned in the blurb... but basically it's a silly story about a daft mother kangaroo and a clever baby one. I might have rounded up to four stars if the author had given us the vocabulary words Joey and Gravity.

Here's my chance, though, to remind you all to look at a globe and fix the misconceptions you probably have in your head. Look, for example, at how small Europe and Greenland, and even China, are, compared to Africa... nothing at all like the Mercator projection!

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crockett Johnson wrote and illustrated Harold and the Purple Crayon. This book has even simpler artwork.
But the kangaroo's story is funny, her joey is the clever problem-solver, and there's some good geography explanation about who's upside down.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Mr Johnson gives me pause for thought. A children's book of entertaining simplicity yet, for me, of a philosophical nature that intrigues an adult. What is 'up'? I read a bit more into it. What is perception? Is it in a book? Did that 'turn your world upside down'? Does it take the innocence of a child to show you how to set things 'aright'?
Definitely enjoyable.