A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School
Publisher: Chronicle Books
'So, why are you late this morning?' well, says the little boy we have just seen snoozing on the pre-title page, 'it's a long story'.
Much in the same vein as Cali and Chaud's previous collaboration, I Didn't Do My Homework Because… the boy offers a series of unfortunate, and unbelievable, events as the explanation for why he is late to school again. The unlikely incidents that occurred include giant ants, ninjas, scary majorettes and a massive ape. That's even before the boy mysteriously shrinks, and then becomes gigantic and then gets caught in a chain of fairytale-esque scenes like dining on a gingerbread house and following a piper with a magic pipe.
Silly and strange, children will enjoy the formula of this arty piece and it will encourage them to think creatively for their own extreme excuses. There is a funny punchline ending and a teasing finale. Production values are high too in this neat little hardback presentation, but the crazy antics inside might be too wacky for some.
