Mud Flat April Fool

Mud Flat

by James Stevenson

Something peculiar is going on in the village of Mud Flat today. Mr. Duffy has disappeared in a puff of green smoke, and Brian woke up with his head on backward. Doris is greeted by a singing tree, and poor Lila sniffs a rose that promptly squirts in hereye. What is this strange brand of spring fever? James Stevenson provides the happy answer in another hilarious visit with the lovable residents of Mud Flat.

Genres: Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1998

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads databse.

Reviews

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anecdotes of town occupants as they celebrate April Fools Day. Chapter 3, The Daffodil, was the best story with a twist on the squirt gun rose I did not forsee.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe Mud Flat is acquired taste. Maybe it's some sort of boy humor (I noticed all the other reviewers were female). Maybe deadpan, droll humor is appreciated by some and not by others. Whatever. I really love Mud Flat, and Chapter 3 "The Daffodil" made me laugh out loud. Mud Flat is next door to Wonderland and Oz, what with all the animals - some wearing clothes and others not, where a quail with no clothes named Dorothy and a pig in clothes named Ashley have a conversation with an alligator with no clothes named Newt about playing a trick on a bear (or a bulldog?) named Mr. Hawley who is wearing a red sport coat and nothing else (like Donald Duck or Ken, he has no noticeable genitalia and we only know he's a mister by the text). Why doesn't this warrant more stars? It's surreal nonsense of the best kind, but funny.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids who love April Fools Day and playing harmless little pranks will relish this read. It has a few good ideas, so be warned; I'm sure they'll want to try them. Which is probably why chapters four and nine are my particular favorites. They'll probably be yours too. He who laughs last ...

Reading Level: 1st - 3rd grades

Cleanliness: someone says "my Goodness."

#aprilfoolbooks

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calvin thought the chapter with the talking tree was hilarious and still talks about it.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little stories ideal to tie into to April 1st activities. The best joke is that Matt and Zack didn't think there really was going to be a party and almost missed the event.