I Made These Ants Some Underpants!

by Derick Wilder, K-Fai Steele (Illustrator)

The creative team behind Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt? returns with a raucous tale of radical generosity—and custom undies!

What's a kid to do when given a day-of-the-week underwear set—wear Monday's undies on Monday, Tuesday's undies on Tuesday like a rule-following robot?
 
No sirree bob! He'll cut and craft, snip and sew until every single one of his friends—from an octopus to a piggy bank to, yes, a line of ants—has their own pair of underwear, whether they want them or not. . . .
 
One boy's valiant attempts to create a pair of underpants for each of his buddies, no matter how imaginary, is a laugh-out-loud testament to the devotion of friendship, the creative muse, and the power of underwear to unite even the least likely of allies—especially on the days you don't want to wear them.

UNIVERSAL, TIMELESS Underpants and underpants-related humor are evergreen themes, and the witty, satisfying rhymes plus the unabashed appeal to the hilarity of underwear make this book irresistible to kids and adults alike.
 
GREAT READ The rhyme and rhythm of the text make for a great read-aloud book, and with funny illustrations featuring extra jokes, kids will want to revisit this book forever and ever. It's the type of book that never gets old, for parent or child.
 
CLEVER WORDPLAY AND WARM This story isn't simply a repetition of the same joke or word. Instead, it's a clever way of using one funny subject in several ways. Its focus on friendship, generosity, and imagination makes it as endearing as it is hilarious

JOKES FOR This text speaks to a juvenile sense of humor without giving any opportunity for kids to add crass potty jokes of their own.

EXPERT AUTHOR, POPULAR The author is the creator of FitLit Kids, Reading Giraffe, and Playball, literacy initiatives that seek to make new readers. The illustrator is the artist of many popular books for kids, including Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt?

Perfect of funny books for kids and rhyming picture booksParents, grandparents, and caregiversEducators and librarians seeking children's books to engage reluctant readersFans of Longest Letsgoboy, Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt?, Pete the Cat books, and the wonderfully silly stories of Mo Willems and Laura NumeroffGiving as a birthday, holiday, back-to-school or end-of-year classroom gift

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Storytime, Crafts, Animals

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2023

About the author

Derick Wilder is the author of The Longest Letsgoboy and the founder of Reading Giraffe, a literacy initiative with the goal of creating lifelong readers by making books come alive. He has been writing for as long as he can remember, and endless hours in the children's section of the library with his daughter sparked his love for picture books. He lives in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Reviews

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story with great rhyme. I don’t know if I agree with the takeaway, but it will definitely leave kids laughing!

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish picture book authors/ editors would realize that too much of a good thing isn't a good thing when your audience is kids. Too many examples in a book without a strong narrative becomes tedious. The ideas are all great - but quit while you're ahead and write a sequel!

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone remembers receiving underwear as a gift. Either for Christmas or birthday, a lovely wrapped gift that, once opened, revealed... underwear. Some kids are really excited about underwear but for others, it can be a bit of a letdown.
The young boy in this book takes it as a license for creativity and generosity. He begins designing and crafting underwear for all of his family and friends. The DayGlo orange is a delightful choice. It seems like he stitches some. He knits underwear for the snake. The little starfish butt in the octopus scene is so cute! His inspiration for the undies made and gifted can be seen throughout his room. But there is a lot to discover and discuss on all of the pages - so this is one that you will want to read a few times. Since his gifts don't seem to be super appreciated, he decides maybe underwear is optional for him, also!

While definitely not a potty training book, it might be used with a toddler to increase interest in wearing underwear. And it could definitely be paired with Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds. Just be aware that there are zombies, skeletons, etc. scattered throughout the book. Not super creepy but if your littles are sensitive to the supernatural element - you will know to read it first.

Also, see all those random items on the inside cover? Flip to the inside cover at the back! And also look for them scattered throughout the book. Plus - be sure to peek under the dust jacket. The cover of the book is adorable.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was inappropriate. I don't want to see a child's bottom. And I know I've read comments where people say, "Well kids are innocent," but kids can also innocently tell a lady at the grocery store, "You look old!" We teach our kids what is polite and not polite to say to other people. I'm pretty sure we also make it a point to tell them their private parts are for them, doctors, and moms and dads to help them with using the bathroom or getting dressed. Not for strangers. But yet we put it in books for all the world to see. Double standard.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book to read aloud with kids who receive underpants for gifts. And then the boy makes more for family, ants, snakes, turtles and every animal he meets. A rhyming-read aloud to bring giggles and show funny illustrations to the listeners. This and the 'Longest Letsgoboy" book by Derick Wilder are fun and young readers love to listen to them and read them by themselves. I recommend these highly.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read aloud with robust rhymes. The plot encompasses a gift that becomes a crafting project that quickly grows out of control, and which begs the question: how would one create underwear for an octopus? (Among other things)

Highly recommended for anyone who finds underwear or butts funny.

[Cheryl Gladfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speedy Skivvies and the zombie were my favorite ones.

What a range Derick Wilder has. I love that he can write hilarious rhymes about crafting underwear, to one of the absolute saddest books ever, The Longest Letsgoboy. And I never tire of K-Fai Steele's art. Excellent use of neon orange is this book.

[Laura (Librarian) Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun rhyming book about a kid who makes underpants for all kinds of animal and things, from ants to racecars. I love his creativity and complete devotion to making so many different kinds of underpants. A nice funny ending to the story that gives a good chuckle.

I look forward to doing a STEM activity with this book where kids make underpants for different animals/things/items. Teehee!

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious picture book with silly illustrations and rhyming verse. Top notch fun for school age kids! I'd love to read this to a classroom of kiddos!

Themes: ants, underpants, humor, books that rhyme
Ages: 1-4th grade
Pub year: 2023

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not the very funniest underpants book around, an underpants story is always sure to get kids reading. The bright neon colors of the panties grab your attention and the silly scenarios are mighty fun. The rhymes don’t hurt either.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilder and Steele make a great pair for hilarious potty humor picture books with this and Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt? The illustrations and words match up so well. It's just a funny read. The whole crowd was laughing in preschool storytime (grownups too!) with this one.

[Chance Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tiresome -- just a collection of cracks (no pun intended) about a kid making underpants for creatures mundane (his sister) and esoteric (an octopus, a dragon, etc.)

The joke is basically the same as the Bulldozer book. Even some of the creatures are the same!

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly rhyming and funny pictures will please young readers. Who doesn't love books about underpants?

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny book about a young boy who decides to make underwear for friends and others creatures in his life.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are frenetic and silly, and the text has great rhythm and clever, silly rhymes. Be prepared for full backside nudity on the final page.

[Kelly]

Really weird, but what book about ants wearing underpants wouldn't be weird? Under the jacket makes more sense once you read the book.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and rhyming, this is a read aloud that kids will find funny time and time again. The neon orange underpants are especially satisfying.

[Bridgid Sauter]

A silly, rhyming follow up to "Does a Bulldozer have a Butt." Good for Kindergarten or Preschool storytimes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extra goofy fun.

[Tracy Mabry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, rhymey, detailed, and clever!

[Steph]

Turn/Level: 1/2.5

Underpants

Underpants for everyone...thing... it rhymes.

[KMitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself laughing out loud at times to this one! The last page does have a bare bottom.

Found in L4L Volume 76.

[Sarah]

Silly book with adorable artwork.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute! A little kid makes bright orange underpants for many different things.

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny book!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute idea, but it fell flat. It needed a connection back to the beginning, and would have really thrived with fewer pages.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming text, fantastic pictures, and a thoroughly silly story - my preschoolers will love this one at story time!

[Wendy Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always love a good underwear story for storytime, but this one fell flat.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious book with rhyming verse.