The Rattlebang Picnic

by Margaret Mahy, Steven Kellogg (Illustrator)

While going for a picnic on top of a mountain, the McTavishes feel the mountain begin to shake, rattle, and bang and begin to see lava flowing, so they all pile into their rattlebang car and hope to make it down the mountain before it is too late. Reprint.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Humor, Childrens, Adventure, Fiction, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Margaret Mahy was a well-known New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. While the plots of many of her books have strong supernatural elements, her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growing up.

Her books The Haunting and The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance both received the Carnegie Medal of the British Library Association. There have 100 children's books, 40 novels, and 20 collections of her stories published. Among her children's books, A Lion in the Meadow and The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate are considered national classics. Her novels have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Japanese, Catalan and Afrikaans. In addition, some stories have been translated into Russian, Chinese and Icelandic.

For her contributions to children's literature she was made a member of the Order of New Zealand. The Margaret Mahy Medal Award was established by the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation in 1991 to provide recognition of excellence in children's literature, publishing and literacy in New Zealand. In 2006 she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award (known as the Little Nobel Prize) in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature".

Margaret Mahy died on 23 July 2012.

On 29 April 2013, New Zealand’s top honour for children’s books was renamed the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret...

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A large family goes on a picnic in their decrepit automobile. I predicted the ending, but I'm assuming the little ones will be charmed.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The McTavishes were the sort of family who preferred people to things, barreling along in their old rattlebang car - chosen when Jack and Marion McTavish (nee McGillicuddy) were married, rather than the more expensive model, which would have necessitated having fewer children - and enjoying their many outings together. Mr. McTavish, Mrs. McTavish, the seven young McTavishes, Granny McTavish, and the family pets would all pile into that rattlebang, on their way to places like Shark Park and Mount Fogg. But when their adventurous spirit lands them all in trouble, and they find themselves on the run frown a racing lava slide, it looks like their trusty old car may have finally let them down. Fortunately, Granny's rock-hard pizza is on hand to save the day...

After reading and loving The Boy Who Was Followed Home , the first joint picture-book venture between New Zealand author Margaret Mahy, and American artist Steven Kellogg, I was excited to discover this second title from the duo. Unfortunately, although I did enjoy it - I particularly liked the idea that it's more important to have a family (the kind of family you want) than expensive possessions - I don't know that it was the equal of the earlier book. Still, there is much madcap humor here, and fans of the author and illustrator will enjoy watching the shenanigans, as this surreally amusing tale unfolds.

[Carolyn Bolding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny children’s book and kids 😊

[Lane Gilchrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good, and it actually made me laugh a little bit. Mr and Mrs McTavish had to decide on whether or not to have children or a nice reliable car. They chose to have seven children and a rattlebang car. One day they were spontaneous and went to this mountain, and while they were enjoying their picnic they heard a rumble. They had to leave the mountain immediately and as they were leaving one of their wheels fell off. So they used the pizza that their grandma attempted to cook and put it on as a wheel. I also enjoyed the illustrations in the book.

I would love to have this book in my class. I think students would get a good laugh out of it, and I think some of them could relate to bad cooking.

[Sarah Berkner · Rating 1 out of 5]

No offense to the author but this book was terrifying to me as a kid, and looking at the cover I can see why, from the cover it's possibly scarier than I remembered. I didn't remember the red letters against the black background or the kid losing his teddy bear, I do remember feeling like the car was going to go off the cliff, and just being weirded out by it as well. I found it by searching, "children's book car family volcano"

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. Nice to see a family getting along so well, and Kellogg's illustrations are always good. I like the details that aren't in the text, like the sharks eating pizza and granny fending off vultures with her cane.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me, but the kids liked it well enough. Kind of a tall tale, but I like the message about choosing more family over nicer things. Not sure what it is about Kellogg’s illustration style, but I find it so off-putting.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun story, great illustrations by Steven Kellogg.

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alissa looked on each page to find the pieces of the car that fell out.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't tell you how many times we've read this one! Too many to count! Love it! Esp the choice to have only a few children - just six or seven - and be poor rather than no children and rich!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. Using that pizza as a spare wheel was quite ridiculous 🤦

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love Kellogg's illustrations but not as much with this one. The story was nonsense.

[Jamie Johnson Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Kellogg 💜💜

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Modern fantasy
Reading Level: Middle Levels (4-6)
I love the story line of this book and the adventures the family goes on. It was a book I grew up reading as a kid. This book is very relatable to me because they have a big family just like me. Every time I read this book it gets me hooked in. It is such a funny book. One of the funniest parts is when they go and do all this stuff with the pizza their Grandma made them that they cannot eat because it is so hard.

[Victor Marquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning of the story Jack McTavish had just married Marion McGillicuddlythey counted their money and talked things over seriously. Jack told Marion they could afford a speedy car that never break down or have a lot of chidren. So Marion said have seven children an a old car car and Jack said yed. So they bought a old car and had seven children. So the the Mctavish liked to have picnics so the grandma like baking pizzas to take to the picnic. The pizzas were hard that u could not bit into. So one they decided to have the picnic Mount Fogg. They were having so much funthey were all laying down and the mountain started shaking. They didnt know what wa going on when they seen that the volcano had errupted. They all ran to to the old car while they were going down there tire feel off so they but the pizza as a wheel and they got home safe.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The McTavishes decide they can either have a nice car that will never break down or lots of children. They compromise and have only seven, and get by with an old rattlebang. The first time we read this out loud, Walker said "Wrong decision!" Moira's favorite part is that the family takes their cat and dog with them on their adventures, so she spends the whole book looking for the kitty and thens aying "Meow? meow?" until I agree that she is pointing at the kitty. My favorite part is when they give up on eating the indedible lunch grandma packed and make do with apples and cupcakes which was the mother says is probably better for them anyway.

[Ana Loza · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was about two grown ups that decided to have seven kids and buy a old junky car . so they took their seven kids to the mountains . and thier grandma went with them too . and brought her very hard pizza . while they were up their they had went to the very top of a mountain and while they were laying down a volcano erupted . and they all got in the car trying to get away and one of the wheels fell off so the kids got an idea to put the hard pizza as a wheel . and they saftly made it back home . and the parents were happy they had seven smart kids because they thought of putting the pizza as a wheel .

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have used this in several Story Times for an older crowd. I enjoy Mahy's humor. After they get married Jack & Marion decide they can either afford a wonderful, speedy car or have lots of children. They compromise by getting an old rattlebang and having only 7 children. The story then continues with the adventures they have on their picnics at the Shark Park and Mount Fogg - where Granny's pizza saves the day. 6/27/12

I had 2 older day cares show for story time so used this again this year.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a family picnic that is interrupted by a volcanic eruption. The family has seven kids and old "rattlebang" car because they made the decision to afford more children instead of a fancy car. In the race down the mountain away from the red-hot lava the rattlebang car breaks down. With help from the children, the family figures out how to escape. I especially like how the parents agree that having a large family was the best decision, even if that meant they couldn't have fancy, expensive things.

Steven Kellogg illustrations - colorful and detailed.

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a very complicated book, but fun; I like the idea of someone being a good grandmother but a bad cook, such that sharks lose their teeth when attempting to eat her pies and a pizza being tough enough to serve as a car wheel, hub and all. There's more to being a good parent (or grandparent) than producing treats at the drop of a hat, and I like to think of the entire family trundling off together in their disintegrating car, happy together.

[Leonel Dominguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The newlywed MacTavishes forgo the purchase of a reliable new car in favor of ``an old rattlebang'' so that they can also afford to have seven children. The whole family, including Granny MacTavish, piles in the rattlebang on picnic adventures. Granny is known for baked goods that are ``tougher than old boots,'' and at Shark Park her picnic pizzas are more useful as Frisbees than food.This book was very interesting that i wanted to read it over and over.

[Jade Detzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the classroom, this book is perfect for problem solving and using what resources you do have. It also shows a great lesson about how everyone can help. Throughout the story, the children and parents poke fun of Grandma's hard pizzas. In the end, Grandma's pizzas save them and their cars from the volcano eruption.

[The Children · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love either "have several children and get by with an old rattlebang"--reminds us to put family over materials. Great adventure story and illustrated by one of my favorites-Steven Kellogg

[Emelda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. I love the "family is more important than material possessions" message.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young couple decide to have more children and settle for a rattlebang car to ride in. They have many adventures in their rattlebang car. Illustrations are by noted artist Steven Kellogg.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Danny picked this one for snack time. A family decides to buy a cheap car, and then runs into trouble when the picnic near an erupting volcano. Overcooked pizzas are put to interesting use.

[Sammie Ortiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is more advanced in reading. Some of the words may be difficult for young children to understand. The pictures are very detailed and distract a little from the story.

[Lisa Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Emmanuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

i like this story, because a family have to choose two have kids or get a car that never get broken. so they choose to have seven kids.

[Keithan Wilbarger]

it couldve been more interesting.