The Gobbledygook and the Scribbledynoodle by Justine Clarke and Arthur Baysting

cover image

Ill. by Tom Jellett. Penguin Viking, 2016. ISBN 9780670079223
Picture book.
Look! Look! It's the Gobbledygook!
He's reading his favourite mon-story book
.
Comfortable in the library and using his best book-reading manners that he learned in The Gobbledygook is Eating a Book, the Gobbledygook is enjoying exploring his favourite book, whispering the quiet words, shouting the loud ones and making up those he doesn't know (just like real-life early readers). But when one of the monsters jumps right out of the book and begins to scribble all over the books the Gobbledygook is very distressed. While the Scribbledynoodle takes notice when it is told that it should not draw on the books, it then takes to drawing on everything else in the library - the walls, the shelves, even the librarian - until the Gobbledygook and his friend escort it outside. And there it teaches them that there are pictures in many more places than a book. Clouds, rainbows, puddles and snail trails all have their own kind of pictorial magic with the day (and the story) ending in peeking 'at the pictures we dream in our sleep."
This is a wonderful romp in rhyme for young readers who will delight in its tongue-twisting words, fast pace, crazy ideas and bright, colourful pictures. Even though the Gobbledygook is a monster with big teeth and even bigger feet, he's not one that will scare them and you can just hear the oohs and ahs as they see the destruction that the Scribbledynoodle causes. Even though they are young THEY know better and will delight in telling the adult reader so. But they will be pleased that instead of the Scribbledynoodle being in BIG trouble, it gets redirected and through the kindness of the Gobbledygook and his friend, it not only makes new friends but shows them important things too. The children will be on their way outside to see if they can see an elephant's bum in the clouds! But they will also look at the colours, shapes and patterns in nature with new eyes, perhaps getting inspiration for their own drawings.
This is "a magnificent, magical, colourful doodle of a day in the life of a Scribbledynoodle". which will go from first-read to favourite very quickly!
Barbara Braxton

booktopia