[Who's That Banging on the Ceiling?] (By: Colin McNaughton) [published: July, 2013]

by Colin McNaughton

An innovative picture book that opens in steps to reveal higher and higher floors of an apartment building is full of a crazy cast of tenants determined to find out who is banging on the ceiling.

Genres: Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Growing up in his native England, the young Colin McNaughton had little indication that he would one day become an author-illustrator. There were no books at all in his parents' home, he recalls, but there were always comics. These were his formative literature, and their slapstick humor has been a lasting influence. "I've been talking about the comic format for years," he says. "It's the modern way of telling stories for today's children; it's about movement, the step between film and the book."


Colin McNaughton says he "hated school. The word 'school' still gives me nightmares." Opting for technical college, he admits he even "made a mess of getting in there -- I'd filled out the application wrong, and when I turned up for registration they'd never heard of me!" So he worked at odd jobs for the next year before entering art school. Although his first book was published while he was still in school, Colin McNaughton did not immediately become a full-time artist. He first tried editorial and advertising work, but did not find the satisfaction that he got out of creating children's books. "At the end of it, there it is, a book on the shelf, not like a newspaper in the gutter. In fact, once you start thinking about it, it's a smashing job!" If the response to his books is any indication, children and adults seem to agree that Colin McNaughton is doing a "smashing job."


Colin McNaughton lives in London with his wife.

Reviews

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is silly in the way that only McNaughton can manage. Set within a block of flats, the book itself is presented on its side with the bottom page being the resident in one of their rooms and the imagined occupant on the next floor. Each resident is annoyed at the noise above and wonders what it could be.
So when the first resident imagines 'a dinosaur dancing the fandango' above her, then this is what we see. It is only when we turn the page and move up to the next floor that we are provided with the real scene.

So continues the madcap pattern until we get to the roof which is a delight in itself. Both my boys loved this; McNaughton keeps giving us little things to find within the pages if we just look closely and the residents' imaginations are silly enough to be delightfully cheeky. Bound to catch the attention of the most reluctant of readers.

[Ericka Fluellen]

This is a really cooky story that enlists funny characters who are all trying to figure out the noises above them. It encourages students to listen and puts their prediction skills to work. Students love this story! And so did I!