Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mike, a little monkey who started beating time in utero ("kick thump pow" comes through loud and clear on the obstetrician's stethoscope), turns everything from a garbage can to his sister's dolls into percussive instruments. So he's constantly being admonished with the titular refrain (which, ironically-or cleverly-begs to be shouted). Mike tries hard to play by the rules, but "the beat of his heart/ was stronger than his will." The gentle lesson Patricelli (the Patterson Puppies books) serves up is that exercising one's talent is great in the right context: a natural-born drummer should use a drum kit-and if that's out of reach (as is the one Mike spies in a store window), make necessity the mother of invention. Patricelli isn't the most felicitous rhymer-the literal writing and well-behaved meter don't do justice to her hero's gifts ("Mike was good at school-/ he wasn't one for yapping,/ but with pencils everywhere,/ he couldn't stop tapping"). But her bright acrylic pictures are the definition of upbeat and bouncy, and she gives the irrepressible, well-meaning Mike unexpected depth and poignancy. Ages 3-6. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-From the time monkey Mike is a tyke, he drums, bangs, and rattles on anything handy, much to the consternation of family, neighbors, and teachers. Their constant refrain, "BE QUIET, MIKE!" has no effect on the monkey in motion. One day he sees the answer-a drum set in a music store window that would provide an outlet for his percussive energy. Without the means to afford it, Mike hatches a plan. After much drawing, gathering, hammering, and taping, he creates a homemade set of pots, pans, and cans and gets down to business. To his surprise, his new musical outlet elicits cheers from his family and in the satisfying ending they urge, "PLAY LOUDER, MIKE!" This rhythmic, rhyming romp about a youngster who must drum is illustrated with bold lines and colors in acrylic that suggest a jazzy ease. The bright, ever-changing background hues keep the focus on Mike and the onomatopoeic words scattered throughout the story. Children who can't sit still will love meeting Mike, and frustrated parents will see a solution to their own be-bopping child in this effervescent drummer.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse 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
"This is a story abut a monkey named Mike, / who started drumming as a tiny little tyke." The staccato pattern continues throughout the book, tracing Mike's growth from infancy to boyhood, with him drumming on any available flat surface every step of the way. What does his family say? "BE QUIET, MIKE!" This phrase appears three times in large hand-lettered letters on double-page spreads heralding each occurrence and begging for listeners to join in the near refrain. Youngsters can also participate in Mike's hobby, either tapping out the rhythm of the rhyme or repeating, and doing so vigorously, the bang, boom chick, crash sounds that he makes whenever he starts drumming. When Mike spies a "real live, full-size jamming drum set" and "there at the drum set, / an ape with long fur, / beating so fast -- / arms and legs a blur," he knows this is the instrument for him. But purchasing it is out of the question, so Mike decides to build his own. And when he's finished, his family doesn't say "Be quiet, Mike" any more. They join in (appearing in the same large text, but this time on a banana-yellow, joyous background) with a rousing finale: "PLAY LOUDER, MIKE!" As energetic as the text are Patricelli's full-bleed, brightly colored illustrations that show kids a monkey's gotta do what a monkey's gotta doo-wop, doo-wop, scooby-dooby-doo. betty carter (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
Mike the monkey is a born drummer. Literally.During the opening, a stethoscope is trained on mama monkey's bulging belly, through which strong, rhythmic sounds are being emitted. From his first months through his early school years, Mike explores his world kinetically, patting, pounding, shaking, discovering the sounds made by the nearest surface or object: "He played with his fingers; / he played with his feet / a funky little monkey with a / beat, beat, beat." Patricelli's pages practically vibrate. Multiple views of Mike are labeled with noises, and the pulsating, rhymed text flows easilythe font growing to suggest increased volume and the "bleed" from the acrylics adding to the sense of motion. The colorful compositions are punctuated periodically by a white double-page spread sporting a quivering typeface with the titular message from family, neighbors and teachers. This contrast provides a recognizable refrain for eager listeners. This monkey's motivation is not mischief: "Mike tried to be quiet, / he tried to be still, / but the beat of his heart / was stronger than his will." Particularly poignant is his silence from self-applied tape. When an expensive drum kit catches his eye, he can't rest until he builds a homemade set, and a musicianand his audienceis born. Front endpapers identify 15 percussion instruments; the closing displays do-it-yourself counterparts.A marvelous model of a family ultimately nurturing the member who marches to his own beat. (Picture book. 2-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
