Review by Booklist Review
In this wild, relatable fantasy, young Paxton C. Heymeyer rebels against the What's the magic word? question; instead of the expected response, he utters Alakazoomba and quickly discovers that this actually magic word makes anything he wants appear. Paxton's requests start innocently but quickly grow more outlandish, until eventually his house resembles a fantasy amusement park, complete with walruses who chase those trying to rein him in off to North Dakota bye-bye babysitter, parents, and best friend. But soon Paxton discovers that partaking in all these pleasures by himself can get lonely. He wishes everyone back, apologizes, and is forgiven by everyone except the babysitter who, in a typical Barnett twist, is again chased off by the walruses. Brightly colored digital illustrations perfectly complement the text and convey Paxton's over-the-top antics, while showing both his fiendish and vulnerable sides. Although the moral be careful what you wish for is a well-used theme, this telling will resonate with (and tickle) the intended audience.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"What's the magic word?" It's a cloying reminder about good manners from the powers that be. One night, Barnett's bratty hero, Paxton C. Heymeyer, makes an important discovery: by saying "alakazoomba" instead of "please," he can bypass the middleman and magically get whatever he wants. Naturally, Paxton's wishes escalate fast: first a cookie, then a walrus that chases his babysitter to the North Pole, then an amusement park to replace his house. But Paxton soon comes to realize that having an elephant that knows how knows how to play "Go Fish" doesn't mean much if the people you care about aren't around. Barnett's (Rules of the House) narration hits all the right wry notes ("Paxton wasn't going to stand there and be insulted in his very own house, let alone his very own castle with a helipad and pink-lemonade moat"), while Parsley's (If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!) expressive, exaggerated drawings give the story the tight narrative arc, visual breeziness, and snappy comic rhythms of an 11-minute animated cartoon. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
Here, the magic word isnt please, its Alakazoomba, and its what amped-up Paxton C. Heymeyer says to summon the cookie that his babysitter wont let him have -- without first saying the magic word. With his newly discovered magical wishgranting word, Paxton sics a walrus on his babysitter, drops a swimming pool smack dab into the middle of the living room, and summons an elephant for good measure, much to the chagrin of his parents. His friend Rosie also isnt impressed with his despotic tendencies, and soon abandons the friendship. It takes a while for Paxton to realize the error of his ways, but when he does, he makes amends with Rosie, his parents, and thewell, not quite with the babysitter. Parsleys digitally created, cartoony art suits Barnetts characteristically humorous, child-centered text to a T. The illustrator is especially deft at portraying a range of facial expressions -- shock, horror, boredom, deviousness, smugness, delight, indifference, and penitence -- and her compositions are littered with Paxtons increasingly outlandish embellishments to his home; both elements bring the story to life visually. A subversive take on the topic of manners that still manages to deliver a message about human decency. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2016. 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.
