Oddballs

Johan Klungel

Book cover for Oddballs
Book cover for Oddballs

Oddballs

Oddballs

Johan Klungel

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Description
"Budding naturalists will howl, and even readers who have trouble visualizing themselves as wildlife will have fun with this imagination stretcher, as Klungel pairs large and smiling but reasonably accurate animal portraits with hilarious, suitably altered views of kids for each proposition." - Booklist

Included in CBC's October Hot Off the Press reading list!

The animal kingdom has its share of oddballs. You can find bizarre creatures on every continent. Did you know there's a giant anteater with a tongue that's nearly 2 feet long? And a frog with a transparent belly?

This hilarious book isn't just a collection of fascinating animal facts--it's an invitation to imagine what life would be like if you possessed the unique traits of these animals. What would it feel like to see with a thousand eyes or taste with your skin? Let your imagination run wild as you explore humorous what-if scenarios that encourage creative thinking and playful exploration.

Accompanied by vibrant and captivating illustrations, each animal leaps off the page. From the axolotl to the mantis shrimp, 16 different special animals are showcased, each with its own fascinating quirks and characteristics.

Seamlessly blending humor with facts, this book offers educational entertainment that fosters a love for animals and nature.

A unique guide to 16 different special animals, accompanied by funny illustrations, completed with imaginative prompts to foster children's minds. For children aged 5 years and up.


About the Author

Dutch illustrator Johan Klungel makes picture books, comics, and animated movies. In addition, he creates films for museums and television, gives drawing workshops, and works as a live artist. Usually, he draws digitally, but sometimes he also uses pencils, pens, chalk, or paint. He likes to tell stories from a clear idea and he prefers to do that with a lot of humor. Recurring themes in Johan's work are nature and the endless imagination of children. Drawing and filmmaking are done from his cozy studio, writing is done preferably in the library. Johan lives with his partner and two children in Haarlem. In his spare time, he enjoys watching the birds, working in his vegetable garden, and playing a small guitar.

Critical Reviews

"With a select gallery of creature features, the author invites readers to think about what it would

be like to "store food in your booty" like a honeypot ant, shoot boiling acid like the evocatively

named bombardier beetle, have a tongue long enough for no-hands nose-picking like a giant

anteater, show one's guts to the world the way glass frogs do, or share a range of other special

abilities with the electric eel, star-nosed mole (which can slurp up a worm in less than a quarter

of a second), uncommonly tough tardigrades, and several like beasties. Captions for each image

join floating, informal nature notes in every entry to unpack and fill in background details.

Budding naturalists will howl, and even readers who have trouble visualizing themselves as

wildlife will have fun with this imagination stretcher, as Klungel pairs large and smiling but

reasonably accurate animal portraits with hilarious, suitably altered views of kids for each

proposition." -- John Peters; Booklist

Publishing Information

Publisher: Clavis
Pub date: 2024-10-08
Length: 32 pages

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