The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Holub, Joan

Knuckleheads

40 pp. | Chronicle | November, 2008 | Trade ISBN 978-0-8118-5523-5 $15.99

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Slack. The protagonists of this book's four fairy tales, "Handsel and Gretel," "Handerella," "Thumbelina," and "Nose White," are all shaped like body parts--fingers, hands, and noses. The text features funny asides ("Say, Buddy, can I thumb a ride?") and self-referential jokes, including mock book reviews ("Handtastic!" "Touching," "A Toe-prah Book Club Selection"), and the satisfyingly grotesque digital illustrations include lots of visual humor.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz