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Jump!
Meet Barb, a clever cactus with a sense of adventure, who thinks that nothing ever changes in the desert, until she takes the leap of a lifetime. Join the most exciting jumping cholla you'll ever meet as she jumps from her home cactus onto an unsuspecting coyote, and from there ends up hitching rides all across the country. Guy Porfirio's hilarious illustrations will make readers giggle as they watch the dismay and confusion on the faces of the folks Barb encounters as she deflates rafts and pops balloons in her merry wake. Kids will be to read this laugh-out-loud picture book over and over again.
- GenresPicture Books
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 22, 2015
#flashbacks #howdoyoukeepfindingthesebooks #lol
June 3, 2017
Barb, a well-named prickly cactus, decides to set off on an adventure of her own, leaving her desert home far behind. The hilarious illustrations simply make the story a delight to read since the pain inflicted by those barbs is palpable in the characters' facial expressions. From a canine, well, a coyote passing by, to a cowboy to a luggage rack, that little cactus has more than her share of fun. Although she sends postcards to her friends back home, she knows that there's no substitute for experience. Returning to her roots, she sends her fellow cacti out into the world for their own adventures. The story concludes with the observation that "things weren't exactly ordinary anymore" (unpaged), which is just how this barbed plant preferred her life to be. Thanks to my wonderful student, Abigail, for thinking of me and presenting this book to me in homage of my nickname and my predilection for a life lived off the beaten path. After all, with all the possibilities that surround us, why be ordinary? All you need to do is jump or take a little bit of a leap or a risk. This title would make a funny read aloud while also providing amusing reasons for moving out of one's comfort zone. Every time I read it, I smile. What more could an author/illustrator want? This picture book contains important life lessons that go down smoothly because of how they are presented.
April 27, 2025
I like it I like it a lot cuz like why is the art so gooood?
my child kept waking up in the middle of it so that was fun why won't u stay asleep?? but it was fun for me I liked it a lot but I miss america being an expat is hard
4/5 stars
my child kept waking up in the middle of it so that was fun why won't u stay asleep?? but it was fun for me I liked it a lot but I miss america being an expat is hard
4/5 stars
April 13, 2019
It's clever story line and illustrations never get old!! So many giggles every time.
January 10, 2022
Always my granddaughter’s favorite book!
January 17, 2014
I love this book, it is so funny.
April 13, 2017
This is Guy Porfirio’s first book as both writer and illustrator. As soon as you open the book it is apparent that Porfirio has a talent for remarkable illustrations. The double page spread on the inside cover is a collection of pencil sketches probably used when planning this picture book. They are action-packed and humorous, as is the rest of the book.
The book opens with a double page spread of the desert filled with cacti and a distant coyote. The text reads, “Ordinarily, things are pretty quiet in the desert. But this was no ordinary morning. And Barb was no ordinary cactus. Barb, you see, wanted an adventure.”
Right away, we know something new and exciting is going to happen and we suspect the coyote will be involved. Barb jumps onto the passing coyote who flings her through the air where she lands on a man’s jeans. It continues with a ride in an eagle’s talons, the popping of a river raft, a roof luggage rack ride, perched on top of a motorcycle helmet, on a balloon and on and on around mainland United States. Eventually, Barb misses her friends and hitches a ride on “the very next cowboy home.” She regales her friends with her adventures. Soon everyone is following her example and cacti are popping up everywhere.
This is a humorous book with impressive illustrations. The reader enjoys following Barb’s wild adventures. One page was especially cool where Porfirio divided the double page spread into six slices and wrote and illustrated, “She boarded, boated, bulldozed, bobbed, bicycled, and bounced.” A lovely page of alliteration.
Without using overly difficult words, Porfirio enriches the text in clever little ways. Another example is when we read, “And Barb got a little carried away at the Museum of art.” The words have a double meaning since Barb is floating away on the string of a balloon.
Although it was adventurous for Barb, I think the story could have been more suspenseful for the reader if, at one point, we felt she was in danger. However, it was the author’s choice to keep the story sweet and fun.
After reading this to a child or class, a discussion about trying new things and taking reasonable risks could follow. And of course, researching jumping cactus, which don’t really jump but hook in painfully should you go too near.
This was a really fun book to share with my granddaughter. We loved Barb and wanted her to have the trip of a lifetime, which she certainly did.
A print copy of this book was generously donated by the author to my Little Free Library.
The book opens with a double page spread of the desert filled with cacti and a distant coyote. The text reads, “Ordinarily, things are pretty quiet in the desert. But this was no ordinary morning. And Barb was no ordinary cactus. Barb, you see, wanted an adventure.”
Right away, we know something new and exciting is going to happen and we suspect the coyote will be involved. Barb jumps onto the passing coyote who flings her through the air where she lands on a man’s jeans. It continues with a ride in an eagle’s talons, the popping of a river raft, a roof luggage rack ride, perched on top of a motorcycle helmet, on a balloon and on and on around mainland United States. Eventually, Barb misses her friends and hitches a ride on “the very next cowboy home.” She regales her friends with her adventures. Soon everyone is following her example and cacti are popping up everywhere.
This is a humorous book with impressive illustrations. The reader enjoys following Barb’s wild adventures. One page was especially cool where Porfirio divided the double page spread into six slices and wrote and illustrated, “She boarded, boated, bulldozed, bobbed, bicycled, and bounced.” A lovely page of alliteration.
Without using overly difficult words, Porfirio enriches the text in clever little ways. Another example is when we read, “And Barb got a little carried away at the Museum of art.” The words have a double meaning since Barb is floating away on the string of a balloon.
Although it was adventurous for Barb, I think the story could have been more suspenseful for the reader if, at one point, we felt she was in danger. However, it was the author’s choice to keep the story sweet and fun.
After reading this to a child or class, a discussion about trying new things and taking reasonable risks could follow. And of course, researching jumping cactus, which don’t really jump but hook in painfully should you go too near.
This was a really fun book to share with my granddaughter. We loved Barb and wanted her to have the trip of a lifetime, which she certainly did.
A print copy of this book was generously donated by the author to my Little Free Library.
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February 3, 2019This is a keepsake my dad bought for Rory to remember our trip to Arizona. It’s a fun story and he loves pointy to spiky plants and saying “Barb!” pointing out the main character from the story.
March 20, 2019
Wonderful book we read to some kindergarten classes in Phoenix.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews