Whoops!

by Suzi Moore, Russell Ayto (Illustrator)

An all-join-in rhyming romp of mixed-up animal sounds!

This is the cat, the dog, and the mouse. Here's the old lady in the tumble-down house. She has a spell to make them all well . . . but she just can't find the right one! Whoops! In this hilariously chaotic escapade, three animals are desperate to make the right noises.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Magic, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

Suzi Moore has worked as a teacher's assistant in a variety of settings and is the author of several books for young readers.

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cat, a dog, and a mouse walk into a house . . . No, this isn't the start of a corny joke, it's the premise of Whoops!, a quirky children's book in which three voiceless animals travel to a witch's house in search of a magic spell to make them well.

Though the illustrations are minimalist, they are complimented by the use of bold background colors -- brilliant fuchsia, radiant orange, intense turquoise.

The story rhymes, and the rich use of language is lyrical:

She went to look
at her big spell book.

She cast a spell,
and the whole house shook.

There was a sparkle
and a crackle
and a thundering sound.

There was a FLASH!
and a CRASH!
and a rumbling sound.

Whoops! is a delight. Entertaining for the eyes, pleasant to the ears, and silly to the final page.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny with great rhythm. Perfect for story time in witchcraft-friendly places. Highly recommended for ages 3-6.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moore presents a rhyming tale about a cat, dog, and mouse who go searching for their voices. The rhymes are a bit clunky, but the funny, surprise ending should leave children squealing with delight.
Russell Ayto's artwork is unusual, and eye-catching, and really adds to the excitement of the tale.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cat can't meow. The dog can't bark, and the mouse can't squeak. Luckily, the wise owl suggests they visit the old lady in the tumbledown house. With a mystery, a healthy dose of humor, and simple illustrations, this will make a perfect read-aloud for Kindergartners--especially as a guest reader.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Justin Bloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, this book is so good. The art is fantastic, and the story is so fun. We loved it!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice fun story for FS or KS1 children. Lots of repetition where children could join in and opportunities for prediction. Children could create their own versions of the story with different animals.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated how interactive this book can be! I cannot wait to try this book at a read aloud session or a program within the library. A book like this keeps the children entertained, engaged, guessing and laughing. What more could a person ask for?! I also appreciated how the use of illustrations, language and word placement was appropriate for the audience. This would be a wonderful book for adults to read to children as well as for the readers who are just learning to read. Bravo!

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the exception of Dr. Seuss, I generally hate any picture book with rhyming text, especially if it is repetitive. This book is a notable exception. It is a very funny story, with simple, but clever rhymes. I only wish it was around when my kids were younger, as it would be a great read aloud book for young children.

[Shanessa (Children Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites! A rhyming and charmingly illustrated tale of a spell gone wrong. Appropriate for all ages as there is nothing scary about the old witch who just can't seem to help a dog, cat and mouse find their voices. No matter how many times we read it, my four year old still laughs at the ending. Highly recommend!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had me until the end because... what?
The illustrations are quirky and just work in a way that makes sense once you see them. Not good for storytime. Fun little rhymes ensue when a witch tries to help a dog, a cat, and a mouse speak their correct sounds and she finally succeeds but turns herself into a frog in the process. Like I said... what?
Whoops.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming, sounds, animals, humor. What more could you want? A great story time choice.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read aloud!

[Anna Fillmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read aloud, rollicking language with great rhythm, funny. Illustrations are just so-so.

[Aslı Can]

Eyvah Eyvah olarak çevrilmiş, komik bir hikayesi var, okurken güldüm :)

[Lyubina Litsova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Colorado Buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

animal noises, confusion over who says what sound. magical spells involved.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable and giggle-worthy.

[Prince William Public Libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The cat can’t meow, the dog can’t woof, and the mouse can’t even squeak! What are they to do?” So leads off the inside jacket of Suzi Moore’s hilarious picture book, “Whoops!” Within the book we find three animal friends: a cat, a dog, and a mouse, who can’t figure out how to find their voices and make their own unique sounds. Fortunately Owl, who is very wise, tells them to “Find the old lady in the tumbledown house. She’ll have a spell to make you all well.” So off the three friends go through a dark scary wood to a tumbledown house where the witch seemingly has the answer to their dilemma, if only she could get the spell correct. Chaos ensues throughout each conglomeration of spells where the cat says “bark” and the dog says “meow” or sometimes sounds from different animals entirely (from “Baaa!” to “Neigh” to “Moo! Moo! Moo!”) Children will delight in matching the correct sound to the animal that makes it and be eager to read to the end to find out if the witch ever conjures the right spell.

The illustrations start off minimal until the animals arrive at the witch’s house and then the various spells are brought to life with bursts of color and personality from illustrator, Russell Ayto. While “Whoops” is a rhyming book the verses and meter seem a bit forced at times. The story has an inherent rhythm to it which can lend itself to fast or slow read depending on the reading abilities of the child. Parents will love this as a bed-time read aloud for kids and I would also recommend it to librarians for use in a family storytime. You can even add in the motions for the repeated spells as well to get a storytime crowd moving (“And the wind blew in, and the rain came down, and the tumbledown house turned around and around”). I would also recommend it for preschool aged children since 5 spells in all make for a very long book. Librarians or parents can also trim the number of spells read if they find their audience becoming antsy. Children may enjoy it so much that you can anticipate hearing “Again!” after each reading ends.

For more great picture book read-alouds with the wrong animal sounds, look to “Bark, George!” by Jules Feiffer, “Meow Said the Cow” by Emma Dodd, and “Rooster Can’t Cock-A-Doodle Doo!” by Karen Rostoker-Gruber. For another humorous, repetitive story check out “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” by Alan Mills.
testing testing testing

-Rosanne NJ

Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moore, Suzi Whoops Templar(Candlewick) 2015. $16.99 PICTURE BOOK

A Dog, Cat, and a Mouse can’t speak. Owl suggests they seek a witch for a spell to cure them. The witch gives it try after try, but things don’t always go so great.

I loved the cover and was eager to read it, but his book wasn’t my favorite read, both in story and illustrations. The illustrations are minimalist and despite some bright pages, it has an empty cold feeling to me. One of my favorite books has a spell that constantly goes wrong, but this one was sort of pointless and odd.

EL (K-3) –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cat, dog and mouse have a problem. They can't / don't know how to meow, bark or squeak! After getting advice from an owl, they find an old lady in a dilapidated house who may be able to help them.

Very rhythmical prose that could easily be put in song and several comical Whoops! along the story should make this an entertaining "read aloud" book to little ones. For anyone hoping that the old lady somehow helps the animals teach themselves how to talk, you will be disappointed as she just uses (or attempts to use) magic to fix them.

Fun quick read, with simple, but suitable illustrations and a bit of a surprise ending!

No content issues; the old lady does use a magic wand and a spell book, but she is never labeled as a witch or fairy or anything.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cat, a dog and a mouse can't make their sounds, they don't know how. A helpful owl directs them to the tumbledown house in the wood where the old lady who lives there can help them. She has to make a few attempts, with the accompanying "Whoops!" However, she finally is successful in fixing their voices, but with a bit of humorous blow-back on herself. Pay close attention to the use of color during the book! Her hair, glasses, knitting (why is she knitting something with three legs?), chair and curtains all change colors each time she tries a spell. Really fun bouncy rhyming and humor make this a great book for storytime.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this British picture book we are introduced to a struggling cat, dog, and mouse who cannot speak. They meet a wise owl suggests an old lady in a tumbledown house can help them. They find the old lady and the house, and through bright neon backgrounds, amazing illustrations, and fun fonts are taken through the many pages of her spell book. She tries and tries to help them, and is finally successful, with a fun twist at the end. In this amazingly illustrated picture book, Ayto uses texture and color to bring to life the troubles that the animals have finding their specific sounds. Great addition to any library!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ayto's illustrations and use of design and space are superb in this magical tale of spells gone wrong. When a dog, cat and mouse are unable to speak, they take the advice of an owl and visit a witch in a tumbledown house to set things right. However, her many spells continually backfire and children are likely to giggle and point out the continuous flaws in her spells as the animals try to find their voices. The pacing and rhymes stumble now and then, although not enough to slow down the overall enjoyment of the story. Recommended.

[Shes_a_book_geek]

I read this for the first time recently at a story time and must say that it was a fun and delightful read.

I am not sure what I was expecting from the book but I was not sure that it was going to be what I want it to be. However it exceeded expectations.

The children found it quite hilarious that the animals were saying the different animal sounds. It was an engaging book that the children were able to actively be involved in.

Great for the toddler age group as it has few words and the animal noises made by the reader are recognisable to them.

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rhymes work and have a nice rhythm. While this would make a good on your lap read aloud, the layout and the minimalist illustrations (which are sort of ugly, truth to be told) won't make this a good story time book for groups. But I like the rhythm and refrain, and the chance to make all those animal noises, which will make kids giggle. I might solve the art issue by telling this with puppets. I think the ending ("Whoops" is essentially a punchline at the end) might work better that way with smaller children.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this quite a lot. Reminded me of an old favorite, The Ravenous Beast by Niamh Sharkey, and here's why: it's a simple repetitive story with kooky characters, and the elements of the repetitive text that change are easily cued by the pictures. So even a pre-reader can quickly get the gist of the way the 'verses' are set up, and mimic reading along with the book.

I am always on the lookout for books like this that narrow that gap between pre-reading and reading.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple story: a dog, a cat, and a mouse can't "speak" so they go to a witch for help. Every other page is a bit of a repeat...and yet, I really liked it! The illustrations are also simple, but very appealing. I am especially endeared with the little mouse and the witch's crazy hair. From the drawings to the surprise ending, children will enjoy it so much they'll say, "Again!" at the end.

[Jason]

Real life, scenario 2: The cat would have eaten the mouse straightaway and the dog would have chased the cat away and gone to the old lady by himself.
Internal logic, scenario 2: The mouse would have left after getting a cat's voice and been safe from predators for the rest of his life
Alternate ending: The owl laughs riotously when they get back and is all "that's lady's a total quack, isn't she?"

[Mikyla Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cat, a dog, and a mouse find themselves unable to make noise – let alone to say what everyone knows these animals are supposed to say. The owl learns of their predicament and sends them all to the old lady in the tumbledown house. It doesn’t go quite as planned. Whoops!
This rhyming story with quirky illustrations is sure to delight children everywhere. After all, they’ve been told their whole lives that dogs say woof...

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a funny story with a verse like this is the house that Jack built. And the animals in the story cannot speak their cat, mouse or dog sounds. So they go to a woman in a tumbledown house for help. The illustrations are funny, too. And the results are worth the read. And I really like the hair of the old woman and the surprise ending. Could be read now or around Halloween with same silly ending.