Noodle & Lou

Elizabeth Garton Scanlon

Book - 2011

Noodle, a worm, is sad and feeling bad about himself, but his friend Lou, a bird, convinces him that he is likeable just as he is.

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jE/Scanlon
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Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room jE/Scanlon Withdrawn
Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
New York : Beach Lane Books c2011.
Language
English
Main Author
Elizabeth Garton Scanlon (-)
Other Authors
Arthur Howard (illustrator)
Edition
1st ed
Physical Description
unpaged : col. ill. ; 23 x 29 cm
ISBN
9781442402881
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

The healing properties of friendship are on child-friendly display here, as a young worm wakes up with a rain-cloudy heart. His unlikely friend, Lou the bird, is the only one who can cheer him up from his funk, and does so by simply not giving up, nor giving in, to Noodle's self-pitying statements. Watercolor-wash illustrations, outlined in thick black on a clean white background, show the action from a worm's-eye view of Noodle's world, featuring other small creatures, mushrooms that seem as big as trees, and birds high in the sky. Careful readers will notice humorous details, such as the shades on one worm, headphones on another, and the Wiggly Field sign where they live. As Noodle's mood improves, a subtle change in background color, from blue to rosy pink and gold, signals his transition. Every kid should have a friend like Lou, and Noodle and Lou's story shows just how it can be done.--Foote, Diane Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Noodle the worm wakes up "with a rain-cloudy heart," and it's not until he gets a pep talk from his blue jay friend, Lou, that he gives "his sorry old slither/ a jaunty new strut." In sturdy yet none-too-formal couplets with an unfaltering rhythm and gentle humor, Scanlon (All the World) offers a point-by-point repudiation of each of Noodle's complaints. " 'My head has no eyes,'/ Noodle said, feeling glum./ 'So, life's a surprise!'/ Lou said to his chum." Smartly sidestepping the whole "no eyes" issue by depicting Noodle with a baseball cap slung low over his head, Howard (Mr. Putter and Tabby) adds several dashes of visual humor to the story (the worms live in the mud of "Wiggly Field," and assorted bugs and birds zip across the pages). His loose watercolors underscore the idea that-in a meadow this picturesque and with a pal like Lou-Noodle has it pretty good. While some sticklers may question why Lou considers Noodle a best bud, rather than an appetizer, they'll easily recognize the value of such a supportive relationship. Ages 2-6. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

PreS-This is a feel-good book about looking on the bright side with a little help from a friend. Noodle, a little pink worm in a green baseball cap, is feeling down in the dumps. "His bright side was muddy. His high points sank low./The grass grew much greener in other worms' rows." To revive his sunny outlook, he calls on his good friend Lou, a blue jay. Lou doesn't let his friend's gloomy mood last long, countering every sad-sack statement of Noodle's perceived faults with a reason to celebrate life. Told in rhyming couplets, the story of friend helping friend is illustrated in bright watercolors with each object surrounded by a thick black outline. The pictures are filled with humorous details, including worms with sunglasses, acorn-top hats, and earphones. Although Noodle laments having no eyes, beak, feet, etc., his mood is lifted, literally, by his special bond with Lou.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Noodle feels glum about his worm characteristics ("My head has no eyes...and I don't have a beak...also--no feet"). Luckily his supportive feathered friend Lou is there to reassure the invertebrate of his positive attributes: "But you're long, and so sleek, which is perfect for you!" Expressive watercolor illustrations show the two bosom chums engaged in snappily rhymed back-and-forth dialogue. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Odd couples abound in children's stories, but somehow the notion of a chirpy blue jay being friends with a (succulent, pink, wiggly) worm may be a hard one to, um, get off the ground. Those willing to suspend their disbelief, however, will enjoy this brisk, rhyming tale of solid support and relentless esteem-building. Noodle the worm, pictured in a baseball cap worn backward, wakes one morning feeling low. He knows where to turn, though, and calls out for Lou, who counters his every complaint with a cheery compliment. By the end, Noodle is feeling pretty darned good about himselfand even better about his best friend, who's managed to give him a new perspective and turn his day around. Howard's cartoon-style illustrations match the bouncy rhythm of Scanlon's couplets perfectly and keep the tone light. Lou has scratchy eyebrows and big feet and sports a sweet smile on his sharp beak. Noodle's squiggly body language manages to effectively convey his changing emotions, and a few big-eyed bugs in the background provide additional visual appeal. Odds are good that even the littlest listeners can recognize how much having a good buddy can improve a bad mood, but it seems likely that adults will pick this up for the message while kids will prefer to pore over the pictures. Chirpy, instructive and fun.(Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.