Oy, Feh, So?

by Cary Fagan, Gary Clement (Illustrator)

Every Sunday Aunt Essy, Aunt Chanah, and Uncle Sam drive up in the old Lincoln for the afternoon. They plop themselves down in the living room, and no matter what anyone says their response is always the same — “Oy,” “Feh,” “So?” One afternoon the three children try to provoke a different reaction. They fake a robbery, produce a terrifying child-eating dragon, and pretend to be kidnapped by space invaders, but their aunts and uncle remain unimpressed. In exasperation the children take to mocking them, and soon they are all laughing so hard they’re practically crying. Cary Fagan’s characteristically dry humor and Gary Clement’s witty illustrations perfectly depict a family with loveable quirks in this story that is sure to become a favorite.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Jewish, Humor, Fiction, Canada

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2013

About the author

Cary Fagan has written numerous books for children, including What Are You Doing, Benny?, Little Blue Chair and Mr. Zinger's Hat, which was awarded the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He has also won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People for his body of work. Cary was born and raised in Toronto, where he continues to live with his family.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if it's a cultural thing, but my god... everybody in this book is so rude! The aunts and uncle come by every week, plop themselves in the middle of the living room, and act like dismissive jerks. Then the kids, tired of this behaviour, try to change the script... but that doesn't work. The aunts and uncle just keep acting the same way. So what do the kids do? They turn to mockery.

Yes, the parents call the kids out on it, but not very hard. Soon, they're all too busy laughing. Maybe that's how things go in this family, but there are a lot of families where mockery wouldn't be tolerated (at least, I hope there are a lot of families where it wouldn't be), and when picture books model bad behaviour like this, I question whether they're really appropriate for children. (Everything works out okay in the end here, apparently because a few stories told by the old folks erase their dismissive attitudes. At least until next week.)

The pictures are okay, but I wasn't wowed. I think I was too annoyed by the storyline that was so steeped in disrespect that it almost comes across as a manual for families on how not to behave. Should we really be teaching kids to mock their elders? (The aunts and uncle are a lost cause. The children should've been taught to simply ignore them.)

I thought this might've been a funny story about some quirky family members. But the way these quirks are dealt with just doesn't sit right with me.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing picture book about a common situation.

It starts off with a promising situation. Three kids hate visiting their boring aunts and uncle, who answer every question with one of the three words in the title. The illustrations are cute and I was initially engaged and amused by the kids antics as they try to provoke their relatives into another response.

Where this story goes wrong is when the kids imitate their relatives.

I found this offensive. It is not okay to make fun of people, and it is not okay to let kids think it's okay. And children should be taught to respect adults. Not all adults are fun for kids, and that's understandable. But that doesn't mean kids should tease them.

While the aunts and uncle find the kids' imitations charming and the ice is finally broken, in real life, feelings could be hurt.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! A fun read aloud.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you're a kid, old people are soooooooooo OLD. What will it take to rouse the family's weekly Sunday visitors -- Aunt Essy, Aunt Chana, and Uncle Sam -- from their blase torpor?

As noted by our trusty Goodreads Blurber:

"They fake a robbery, produce a terrifying child-eating dragon, and pretend to be kidnapped by space invaders, but their aunts and uncle remain unimpressed. "

REACTIONS OF THE OLD FOLKS ARE THE HILARIOUS PART OF THIS STORY

Like, with the robbery attempt, staged by the three children:

"Oy," said Aunt Essy. "Crime these days."
"Feh," said Aunt Chanah. "People are animals."


As for the last straw from the kids, the prank that gets EVERYBODY laughing? Discover that for yourself, Goodreaders. This is one magnificent book.

FIVE STARS to author Cary-Fagan and artist Gary Clement.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Sunday it was the same thing. Every Sunday the children's two aunts and one uncle came to visit. Every time they said the same words .. oy, feh, so? The children decided to try to make them say something else - with hilarious results. Funny illustrations.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm. Three boring relatives come over for their weekly visit, and these kids end up mocking them in order to change their old fogey ways? The story’s redeeming value would have been the stories the aunts and uncles shared from their childhoods, but that would be another story—for adults, who seem to be the audience for this book. Clever illustrations, but also a bit too cruel.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wasn't a big fan. Don't think I could find a way to use this in the classroom. I think the language was borderline offensive to children's abilities

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly and fun. And definitely meant to be read out loud.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my daughter’s favorite books. Funny and sweet about children learning to enjoy time spent with their aunts and uncle

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at http://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogs...

Our families can be the fodder of so much humour. Obviously Cary Fagan's family has provided him with a wealth of laughter if his numerous children's books are any indication. From The Fortress of Kasper Snit (Tundra, 2004) and its 2 sequels, to My New Shirt (Tundra, 2007) and Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas (Tundra, 2009), Cary Fagan capably finds the comedic in relationships, familial and otherwise.

In Oy Feh So?, the arrival of Uncle Sam's old Lincoln marks the beginning of the ritualistic Sunday visit from Aunt Essy, Aunt Chanah and Uncle Sam. As routine as their visits are, so too are their habitual use of interjections or exclamations before commenting on everything and anything. Aunt Essy of the "Oy" always seems exasperated. Aunt Chanah is the champion of "Feh", ever contemptuous. And Uncle Sam's indifference is clear from his favourite interjection, "So?"

Anticipating no deviation from their relatives' same-speak ("Do you think they'll say something different today?" my sister asked. "Not a chance," my brother answered.), the three children in the household hatch a plan of multiple role-plays to flabbergast some new vocabulary out of their aunts and uncle. But, it's not until the kids go overboard and shamelessly mimic their three relatives that Aunt Essy, Aunt Chanah and Uncle Sam discover their own farcical natures and begin to speak freely and uncharacteristically.

Gary Clement's ink-and-watercolour illustrations of Aunts Essy and Chanah and Uncle Sam bring out the boring attributes of all us older relatives: less than trendy eyeglasses, an unwelcome paunch, out-moded hairstyles, double chins and clothing lacking in style. The details in the faces and hair and attire may be different, but they are the relatives we were all encouraged (forced?) to embrace and chat up because they were family. And, if we were lucky, as the three children in Oy Feh So? are, we saw beyond the façade of their drudgery and stale vocabulary and glimpsed the fun-loving children they once were and now were willing to share with us. This collaboration between Cary Fagan and Gary Clement is priceless in allowing us to see ourselves in the story, and hopefully recognize that it's up to us to help change those Sunday visits from doom to delight. Oy!

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in awhile I am reminded of that very phrase that I find myself saying to kids "Don't judge a book by its cover." I admit it, I was judging this book; it looks rather stupid. After reading just about every other book we checked out from the library I finally grabbed this one to share with my daughter and SURPRISE we both really liked it!

Every week boring Aunt Essy, Aunt Chanah and Uncle Sam come over to visit their sister's family. The three children dread these visits because the relatives always say the same dull statements again and again: Oy! Feh. and So? The poor kids finally snap and show their aunts/uncle exactly how monotonous they are. Instead of being insulted their family was able to laugh at themselves and actually attempted to have an engaging conversation. We all have family members like this, so the story was relatable and fun.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two nephews and a niece decide to break through the annoying coping mechanisms their two aunts and uncle rely on during weekly family visits. In desperation, they mimic their relatives with their distinct way of thinking and looking, which somehow ends to laughter and a real connection among the family. It turns out their older relatives actually have interesting stories to tell, and the children can't wait for them to come back. The pen and ink and watercolor illustrations add even more humor to an already-amusing story with which many children (and maybe even adults) can relate.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Religion: Jewish

It was fun to see how these three characters would respond to various scenes with the same initial response of "Oy" "Feh" or "So?" Although Jewish families might find this story even funnier because they know a relative that responds as such, this book can definitely be enjoyed by all families. Great for reading aloud with emotions.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book as a writing prompt or mentor text for elementary students. We all had (or still have) older relatives who'd come over and be a drag. There's gentle teasing here and family stories are then told - wish Fagan had included one or two of those. I think this is one that many kids would relate to, and could use as a springboard for one of their own family stories.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for the way the kids finally connect with their aged relatives, with the caveat that I am not Jewish, and I am not super comfortable with the depictions of ol' Essy, Chanah, and Sam, what with the bulbous noses etc, and so I urge you to read... Marjorie Ingall's opinion of it... which I can't find now so maybe it was only on Facebook... DAMN YOU MULTIPLE INPUTS

[Regina Spiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who didn't have that odd relative that was worth trading when you were young? This children's book brings out the giggles when two elderly aunts and an uncle set in their ways are mimicked by their niece and nephews. Cary Fagan and Gary Clement roll out another clever book that can be enjoyed by children and adults.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family story in which two aunts and an uncle are remembered by their go-to responses for everything. How do they react when they get a look at themselves as impersonated by their niece and nephew? They have a good laugh at themselves and tell family stories.

A funny read aloud featuring a jewish family with pen and ink and watercolor artwork. PreK-2.

[Joanne Zienty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't have a pair (or in this case, a trio) of boring relatives who come to visit and bring very little to the party? Of course, sometimes it's up to us to jolt them out of the usual, as the kids in this clever picture book discover. Loved this one from the dedication page, which features the front end of a big ol' Lincoln Continental and three sourpusses lumbering down the street.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky but comical story, culturally specific but universally appealing. In some ways it reminds me of a sit-com episode in which the "fogeys" are boring and predictable, bore the kids to death, but eventually reveal their personalities and share good times.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Three boring uncles and aunts finally loosen up, at the very end, and tell the nieces and nephews stories of their childhoods. We don't get to hear the stories, though.

[Carrie Gelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really funny. Love how it all works out in the end. Fagan is one interesting writer.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny. So glad that the National Post's cartoonist has a children's book, the visuals are very amusing and work perfectly with Fagan's dry wit.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one grew on me....

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A drolly entertaining story about a niece and nephews doing all sorts of outrageous things to get a reaction from their imperturbable aunts and uncle.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY fun to read out loud!

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! So cute!

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Wendopolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was funny, but my son did not. He only read it to himself, so if I read it to him he may change his mind.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

Mimicking gets a surprising response from elders.

-Monty K.