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What a Hullabaloo!
This book is about moments, the ones from childhood. The ones in which we dared to dream, the dreams we did not fear to follow. Nothing could stop us for we were children, and impossible was a word we'd not yet learnt. Some things got in the way though! Parents, teachers, dinner ladies, farmers, people with beards, but they were children once and I hope that when reading this book they remember the moments of their own, and hopefully while doing so they will forgive us, for it was the mid 70's, we were young, and we had a plan, what a hullabaloo!
56 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 17, 2009
I absolutely loved the book!
There are seven stories from the author's childhood told in rhyme.They are so funny, it is impossible not to laugh. Just listen to this:
"Now a parent that‛s woken by barking and bumping
Is not in the best mood when half asleep clumping
And things just got worse when he popped on a slipper
To find soft place taken by furry toothed nipper."
I found the poems brilliantly hilarious. They are so packed with funny moments that I have been reading them over and over again. I pretty much wanted to run around the kitchen reciting them out loud and saying:
"A nice curvy nut-breaking, bar-chewing tooth
That made foot go spring-like and parent hit roof"
What makes this book stand above so many poetry books for children is that every poem is a completed adventure, or a mischief- more like it, told in a cheeky fantastic style with so much heart and in perfect rhyme.
There are seven stories from the author's childhood told in rhyme.They are so funny, it is impossible not to laugh. Just listen to this:
"Now a parent that‛s woken by barking and bumping
Is not in the best mood when half asleep clumping
And things just got worse when he popped on a slipper
To find soft place taken by furry toothed nipper."
I found the poems brilliantly hilarious. They are so packed with funny moments that I have been reading them over and over again. I pretty much wanted to run around the kitchen reciting them out loud and saying:
"A nice curvy nut-breaking, bar-chewing tooth
That made foot go spring-like and parent hit roof"
What makes this book stand above so many poetry books for children is that every poem is a completed adventure, or a mischief- more like it, told in a cheeky fantastic style with so much heart and in perfect rhyme.
October 29, 2014
This book is absolutely fantastic! It is hilarious, perfectly capturing the capricious and mischievous ways of little boys. But the actual writing accomplishes the biggest feat - it takes words and turns them upside down and sideways, making them into playthings that can mean anything. The references and word play are unbelievably clever, and, even for an adult, this book is incredibly fun to read. I sat down and read it straight through in one shot, laughing out loud the whole time. A series of short poems, each one tells of the antics of a group of young British boys, making use of tongue twisters and mixing up the parts of speech in fabulously original ways. The tempo, rhythm, musicality of the writing, along with the rhyme scheme, alliteration, and internal rhyme, make for a great read, which, despite the complexity of the humor, should be readable for a child, although it is probably best read for them. I plan to use this book in my own tutoring, recommend it to every teacher and tutor I know, and plug it to every adult and child I know who likes laughing and reading, especially at the same time. If you have young kids, they will love reading about things they probably have done or wanted to do, and if you don't, you will love remembering the same things.
Won through Goodreads First Reads Program.
Won through Goodreads First Reads Program.
November 28, 2009
I enjoyed reading the silly stories presented here. In this book you witness the hilarious actions of a group of school-age kids. They steal candy, put their bottoms in windows and set hungry ducks on people. One of my favorite moments was when a man complained about the child who stuck his butt in the window. The kid doesn't get punished because the person supervising the children didn't see the bottom stuck in the window.Then the kid and his freinds suggest that the man saw his own face in the window! This book is amazing and I think that anyone who wants a laugh out of a book should get it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2009
I thought the book was amazing. Every single line of every page was witty and fun. My favorite poem out of all was "Nipper in Slipper".The idea for the story was great but it was also full of hillarious, funny things happening to both parents, children, dog, and the hamster! The part about the parent's dentures was priceless!!!
December 6, 2009
Absolutely Wonderful!
What a Hullabaloo! is a fast-moving tale that takes the reader along for an unforgettable ride. Using creative wordplay and an engaging storyline, the author has created an evocative and engaging adventure that is sure to please!
Highly recommended!
What a Hullabaloo! is a fast-moving tale that takes the reader along for an unforgettable ride. Using creative wordplay and an engaging storyline, the author has created an evocative and engaging adventure that is sure to please!
Highly recommended!
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October 27, 2009I liked this book
November 2, 2009
This book was very disappointing. It didn't make much sense to me. It was like every other word was missing. I'm so glad I didn't waste my money on it.
November 18, 2009
What a Hullabaloo! Earns Five Big Stars.
I really enjoyed this book of stories told in narrative poetry style. The author tells seven stories from his youthful days that involve his gang of friends. The setting is in England and the distinct English words used in the poems like 'bloke,' 'bum,' 'cheeky,' and others give the youthful ventures even more authenticity. The gang of friends was always about and into some adventure that ended up through mischievousness or happenstance, getting them into trouble. My favorite one is titled "Four Paws of Claws." It is about a scout camping trip on which the gang sat in the back seats of the bus. Of course, even after warnings given from the `scout boss' to the boys sitting in these seats that there was to be no mischief, well you know there had to be something! But this time the boys were almost caught and had a hard time convincing the `scout boss' of their innocence. The consequence involved spending the rest of the ride in silence. These lines describe the mischievous mooning act.
"So there we were standing by roadside in truck stop
Whilst driver told full tale of backside to scout boss
But stuck was the old one for picking out culprit
For cheeky grin shown him had no eyes or nose bit
The boss man with big beard I think then believed us
For no-one on scout bus at all had seen bum press
And strong lad had quick said that man had made error
And caught site of own face in window screen mirror"
Of course, this is just the beginning of the action in this story. The plot thickens as the gang gets to the camp site and set up!
What a Hullabaloo! is full of adventure with a tone of excitement and suspense throughout. It will bring your own youthful frolics to mind. It is a great and fun book for all ages.
October 23, 2009
I really am at a loss for what to say here. I gave this my all but it's just not for me. This is targeted at a much different audience although I honestly can't guess who that audience may be.
I entered the giveaway assuming, by the cover, that this was a childrens book. I was wrong and when I figured that out I was okay with it because after all, I am an adult and I do read adult books from time to time. But this is sort of like..... maybe in between?
It's written in verse which was odd to me- it wasn't at all like something you'd find from Ellen Hopkins who I happen to love.
This was sent from out of the country and the way the author wrote was strange to me also. I'm not sure if that was done for the purpose of the book alone or if that's how they talk over in the U.K. Either way it was too strange for me to continue on.
I got to the fourth story and couldn't hang in there anymore. I do appreciate the author sending this to me and GR for allowing the giveaway to happen in the first place. I also appreciate the author signing it- that was cool of him. But I just didn't like it. :(
**I just saw the authors blog and realized this is for children. Which would explain fully why I didn't like it myself I suppose. My daughter is only 4 years old but she's a bit mature for her age so I'm going to run it by her. I have a feeling she's a bit too young to appreciate it- especially with the different writing style that what she's used to but I'm game to try if she is.**
I entered the giveaway assuming, by the cover, that this was a childrens book. I was wrong and when I figured that out I was okay with it because after all, I am an adult and I do read adult books from time to time. But this is sort of like..... maybe in between?
It's written in verse which was odd to me- it wasn't at all like something you'd find from Ellen Hopkins who I happen to love.
This was sent from out of the country and the way the author wrote was strange to me also. I'm not sure if that was done for the purpose of the book alone or if that's how they talk over in the U.K. Either way it was too strange for me to continue on.
I got to the fourth story and couldn't hang in there anymore. I do appreciate the author sending this to me and GR for allowing the giveaway to happen in the first place. I also appreciate the author signing it- that was cool of him. But I just didn't like it. :(
**I just saw the authors blog and realized this is for children. Which would explain fully why I didn't like it myself I suppose. My daughter is only 4 years old but she's a bit mature for her age so I'm going to run it by her. I have a feeling she's a bit too young to appreciate it- especially with the different writing style that what she's used to but I'm game to try if she is.**
October 26, 2009
Courtesy of Goodreads!
After reading the description of this book, I thought I'd absolutely love it. I assumed it would be a childhood memoir, and it was but not in the form that I expected. Written in verse, I found the anecdotes difficult to understand and rather frustrating as a result. Following the individual stories in each chapter was not an easy endeavour but I am ultimately glad I persevered.
If this book was in a different form then I may have enjoyed it more because I found the anecdotes funny and witty when I managed to stick with them. As such, I get the feeling that it was the over-complicated way in which each story was told that ruined the effect.
This is not a book for today's children but children of the 1970s will probably enjoy it if they can keep up. As a Brit, it was easy to see that a lot of the references were specific to a British childhood. I recognised a lot of them from growing up in the 1980s and have no doubt that someone a little older than me would be able to completely identify with the boys and their adventures.
Overall, I think the stories are there to be enjoyed providing that you take the time to sort through the showy verse and redundant wording that seems to swamp every single one of them.
After reading the description of this book, I thought I'd absolutely love it. I assumed it would be a childhood memoir, and it was but not in the form that I expected. Written in verse, I found the anecdotes difficult to understand and rather frustrating as a result. Following the individual stories in each chapter was not an easy endeavour but I am ultimately glad I persevered.
If this book was in a different form then I may have enjoyed it more because I found the anecdotes funny and witty when I managed to stick with them. As such, I get the feeling that it was the over-complicated way in which each story was told that ruined the effect.
This is not a book for today's children but children of the 1970s will probably enjoy it if they can keep up. As a Brit, it was easy to see that a lot of the references were specific to a British childhood. I recognised a lot of them from growing up in the 1980s and have no doubt that someone a little older than me would be able to completely identify with the boys and their adventures.
Overall, I think the stories are there to be enjoyed providing that you take the time to sort through the showy verse and redundant wording that seems to swamp every single one of them.
November 17, 2009
What is a hullabaloo, anyway?
Definition: Hullabaloo - A clamorous noise or disturbance; uproar.
This wonderful book consists of seven stories, all delivered in rhyme, about the adventurous mischief of a bunch of boys. But don't let the word 'mischief' mislead you... this kind of mischief is hardly malicious, rather, it is pure crazy "kids will be kids" kind of fun. It may remind you of your own childhood antics, and definitely will bring you back to a much more innocent time, when kids spent time out of doors having adventures instead of in front of video games. These stories are about kids with great imaginations. Be careful--these tales may inspire readers to engage in some creative hullabaloo of their own! Something tells me Mr. Whittington had a rather lively childhood of his own which inspired these funny stories.
This author is a talented humorist and poet. The imagery he conjures up is so vivid! Here are two lines I chose as favorites:
"But farmers aren't shaped the shape to be quick"
"The small lad was best lad for small place type creeping"
What a Hullabaloo is a lot of fun, is unique, and will appeal to all ages. Fun to read for anyone, and a really fun read-aloud for younger children. Check it out!
Definition: Hullabaloo - A clamorous noise or disturbance; uproar.
This wonderful book consists of seven stories, all delivered in rhyme, about the adventurous mischief of a bunch of boys. But don't let the word 'mischief' mislead you... this kind of mischief is hardly malicious, rather, it is pure crazy "kids will be kids" kind of fun. It may remind you of your own childhood antics, and definitely will bring you back to a much more innocent time, when kids spent time out of doors having adventures instead of in front of video games. These stories are about kids with great imaginations. Be careful--these tales may inspire readers to engage in some creative hullabaloo of their own! Something tells me Mr. Whittington had a rather lively childhood of his own which inspired these funny stories.
This author is a talented humorist and poet. The imagery he conjures up is so vivid! Here are two lines I chose as favorites:
"But farmers aren't shaped the shape to be quick"
"The small lad was best lad for small place type creeping"
What a Hullabaloo is a lot of fun, is unique, and will appeal to all ages. Fun to read for anyone, and a really fun read-aloud for younger children. Check it out!
November 12, 2009
What a delightful book!
I liked the rhyme and imagery. I think I especially enjoyed the stories because I had my own "gang" growing--we were siblings instead of friends, but that didn't stop us from coming up with exciting things to do. I do wish I understood a few of the references--but I'm not from the UK and not that old, which is okay. I understood enough to relate and to laugh out loud.
I liked the figurative language. This book would be a fun one to use if I am ever teaching metaphorical descriptions; it kind of reminded me of an activity we did in senior English.
Some of the stories I enjoyed better than others (there are 6 mini stories) but they were all fun.
A short, fun read that made me laugh.
I liked the rhyme and imagery. I think I especially enjoyed the stories because I had my own "gang" growing--we were siblings instead of friends, but that didn't stop us from coming up with exciting things to do. I do wish I understood a few of the references--but I'm not from the UK and not that old, which is okay. I understood enough to relate and to laugh out loud.
I liked the figurative language. This book would be a fun one to use if I am ever teaching metaphorical descriptions; it kind of reminded me of an activity we did in senior English.
Some of the stories I enjoyed better than others (there are 6 mini stories) but they were all fun.
A short, fun read that made me laugh.
December 13, 2009
What a Hullabaloo! By P.A. Whittington
This is a book of very witty poetry. It is filled with highly amusing, poetic stories of misbehaving kids, swiping food, brawling on playgrounds and just getting into mischief.
Whittington either had a misbegotten childhood or a good grasp of the life experiences of kids. I frankly don’t read poetry and I read this. I did laugh out loud several times; the liver under the table was one occasion. The UK vernacular threw me a couple of times but it also added whimsy to the work. The slug in the sandwich also elicited a laugh out loud. This is a very entertaining book.
I recommend the book.
This is a book of very witty poetry. It is filled with highly amusing, poetic stories of misbehaving kids, swiping food, brawling on playgrounds and just getting into mischief.
Whittington either had a misbegotten childhood or a good grasp of the life experiences of kids. I frankly don’t read poetry and I read this. I did laugh out loud several times; the liver under the table was one occasion. The UK vernacular threw me a couple of times but it also added whimsy to the work. The slug in the sandwich also elicited a laugh out loud. This is a very entertaining book.
I recommend the book.
October 22, 2009
Goodreads giveaway!
I guess I misunderstood what this book would be. From the product description, it sounded like a memoir of a mischievous childhood. I didn't realize it would be written in verse. The four-line stanzas were too sing-songy for the stories to be taken seriously, yet too monotonous to appeal to children, so I'm not sure who would be the audience for this book. I didn't care for the style at all, so I did not finish the book. I'll be donating it to the library in hopes that someone else will enjoy it.
I guess I misunderstood what this book would be. From the product description, it sounded like a memoir of a mischievous childhood. I didn't realize it would be written in verse. The four-line stanzas were too sing-songy for the stories to be taken seriously, yet too monotonous to appeal to children, so I'm not sure who would be the audience for this book. I didn't care for the style at all, so I did not finish the book. I'll be donating it to the library in hopes that someone else will enjoy it.
November 14, 2009
What a Hullabaloo is an awesome and great book! I like how the author writes poem like stories. This book will make you laugh as you read it. As you read this book you will see how real to life it is. Young children can enjoy this book when being read to by their parents. Older age group children can enjoy it by themselves.
Don't pass up the chance to read a great, poem like story that will interest you and your children. You will be able to relate to the things that takes place in this book.
I highly recommend this book to young and old alike to read!
Don't pass up the chance to read a great, poem like story that will interest you and your children. You will be able to relate to the things that takes place in this book.
I highly recommend this book to young and old alike to read!
November 13, 2009
This book is written in verse and, at times, it seems a bit forced. The general idea and the stories are interesting but I did find it difficult to follow, especially for children. It’s a good first effort and I wish the author luck with the book. I do feel it’s geared for a much older child than my grandchildren so I can’t honestly say how I feel youngsters would like it.
November 3, 2009
This book was not what I was expecting, but none the less I found it enjoyable. It was fun to read about his childhood adventures in a verse form. It was a nice break from the typical books that I read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews