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A Storytelling of Ravens
A sloth of bears, a smack of jellyfish, a nuisance of cats — these are some of the surprising and idiosyncratic names we have for groups of animals. Inspired by the evocative possibilities of collective nouns, also called “terms of venery,” author Kyle Lukoff and illustrator Natalie Nelson have created a picture book full of clever wordplay and delightful illustrations. Each spread features a nugget of a story using a particular term, which is accompanied by a collage illustration that serves as the visual punch line.
But where did these unusual names come from? Many of them can be traced back to a book on hunting, hawking and heraldry, printed in 1486 — the Book of St. Albans, which has been reproduced many times since.
A Storytelling of Ravens provides a unique opportunity to explore and rejoice in the oddities of the English language.
But where did these unusual names come from? Many of them can be traced back to a book on hunting, hawking and heraldry, printed in 1486 — the Book of St. Albans, which has been reproduced many times since.
A Storytelling of Ravens provides a unique opportunity to explore and rejoice in the oddities of the English language.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2018
1 person is currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Kyle Lukoff
29 books291 followersKyle Lukoff writes books for kids and other people.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Kyle worked at five bookstores, in four libraries, for three schools, as two genders, through one intersection: people, and books.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Kyle worked at five bookstores, in four libraries, for three schools, as two genders, through one intersection: people, and books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 13, 2018
Full disclosure: Kyle’s a friend who I’m very proud of. That being said, I adored this clever book of wordplay—the title gives you a little taste of what you’re in for. The illustrations are also full of little jokes and the animals have tremendous personality in simple line drawings. This is a book for anyone who loves language, humor, and side-eye.
November 16, 2018
Humans love groups. We love separating ourselves into them, or putting other people into them (even when they don’t particularly want to be grouped). As small children, it’s one of the ways we prefer to make sense of the world. Not necessarily in an us vs. them mentality (though that’s bound to come up occasionally) but more as a way of defining ourselves by what we both are and aren’t. I’m this not that. You’re that not this. And, on occasion, we move ourselves out of one group and into another. The animal kingdom isn’t hampered with terminology in the same way that we are, and so don’t care particularly when we thrust our collective nouns upon them. Now I can’t say I’m all that familiar with animal groupings in other languages. What I do know is that in the English language we get a little goofy when it comes to names. A "trip" of sheep. A "business" of ferrets. There are plenty of inventive collective noun books in print these days, but in some ways I feel like few of them have taken the time to put quite as much kid-friendly thought into their writings as Kyle Lukoff has done here. Because with A Storytelling of Ravens there’s a level of decision-making and careful consideration to the writing that is often lacking in other animal group books. It would seem that Kyle has deeply considered the concept of groups, and where one fits in them, and then given each a wry subversive twist. A picture book for children with a penchant for cleverness.
The very first sentence in the book reads, “The nuisance of cats blamed it on the dog.” This is accompanied by a picture of six cats, surrounded by yarn, the ball not far away, one of its tail ends wrapped around the paws of a sleeping dog. All at once, the child reader can see what is happening. Four of the cats are surreptitiously looking at the dog, indicating that they’re curious to see if their plan to shift blame is working, and the other two are doing that cat thing where they ignore everything around them like everything’s fine. By reading this to a kid you can teach them the double meaning of nuisance and have them tell you what’s going on in the pictures. Turn the page and a new collective noun meets your eyes. “The memory of elephants knew the peanut field had to be around here somewhere.” New noun. New double meaning. And new storytelling opportunity. Fourteen double page spreads contain fourteen animal groupings that play with language in creative, kooky ways. Accompanied by Natalie Nelson’s stunning art, this is one book that takes its contents to a whole new level.
I mean, it’s entirely possible that a book of this sort has been done before. But even if it had been, Kyle Lukoff endows each small section with all the backstory and thought of a writing prompt. Have you ever seen Chris Van Allsburgh’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick? In that book, you get glimpses of different mysterious stories. Writing teachers have been using that book for short story writing prompts for years. Well, that book came out in 1984. I think it’s high time we added another book to the prompting repertoire, and A Storytelling of Ravens fits the bill. I mean, the book is working on so many levels at once. Kyle’s coming up with legitimate collective nouns, playing with their meanings, and providing glimpses into stories that could be deeply humorous or moving by turns. One wonders briefly what nouns or animals didn’t make the cut. Some of the obvious ones, like “a murder of crows” are missing, but I don’t think you’d miss them. After all, that could get a touch dark.
My sole objection to the written sections may be the ending of the book, or lack thereof. Picture books without plots have it rough to begin with. Hard enough to sustain interest without reviewers like myself hemming and hawing over whether or not your book ends on a high note. And Lukoff’s could technically be said to end on said note, since the last statement reads, “The exaltation of larks cheered. The Hollow Bones was their favorite band.” I know that the order of nouns in this book would have been carefully considered between the author and editor and that there was a very good reason for the larks to come last. Even so, I think some small changes could have been employed. The beginning, after all, is so very good with that “nuisance of cats”. For a capper to the entire project, I might have switched the larks for the “bloat” of hippos instead. The words don’t necessarily convey that this is the end, but Natalie Nelson has illustrated this one, sly hippo that is giving the readership a knowing smile. It’s the kind of smile that rounds out a collection perfectly.
Read this book with your eyes closed. Wait. That doesn’t make any sense. Okay, have someone else read this book to you while you have your eyes closed. Why? I want you to listen to the cadences. I want you to take in the tone. Here, I’ll help. This is the first sentence in the book:
“The nuisance of cats blamed it on the dog.”
What does that sound like to you? For me, the first thing that came to mind was Edward Gorey. In fact, as odd as it may sound, I honestly believe that if this book had been published 30-40 years ago, Gorey would have been the obvious illustrator to pair with it. An odd thing to say, I acknowledge freely, since the selection of Natalie Nelson as illustrator is both inspired and as unlike Gorey as you might find. Where he was monochromatic, she saturates her world in these luscious gouache paints. Where he would have spent untold hours on a line, she spends the same time on shape, placement, and how the double page spreads direct the reader’s eye. Yet both contain that understated humor so necessary when working hand in hand with Mr. Lukoff’s wordplay. I admit it. I’m impressed.
I do wonder at how much of a hand Mr. Lukoff had in the illustration decisions. For example, for the statement, “The tower of giraffes didn’t know where this new tree had come from, but it was delicious”, did he suggest in his manuscript notes that it be a Christmas tree? Did he say that the “new arrangement” for the shrewdness of apes consist of monkeys on top of monkeys (alas, Nelson’s one flaw is to give the apes in this book superfluous tails, something the editor probably should have caught)? Perhaps there were some notes with the original manuscript but I believe Ms. Nelson must have been given room to grow and play with this book. Often she comes up with inventive little ideas that could only have been hers alone. Look at how the elephants sometimes have drawn noses while others have mixed-media trunks. Or that single owl giving its hoot of dissent in the craziest manner possible while everyone around it gives it the stink eye. With the exception of those ape tails, Ms. Nelson’s free-range art is inventive in all the right ways, with just the correct amounts of whimsy and artistic generosity mixed together.
Is there a term for a book for young children that appeals on a host of different levels? Not just its outward facing premise, but in subtle ways that wouldn’t grab your attention at first? A Storytelling of Ravens, is a collective noun book, a short story prompting text, an opportunity to introduce and define new, complex words in the English language, and a funny book. Don’t downplay the funny aspect, by the way. It may not receive its due in the classroom, but sometimes humor is the spice that makes the whole picture book enterprise all the more pleasing. Lovely to the eye, enticing to the ear, and built with a great deal of care, if you have to pick only one collective noun / animal groupings book for your shelves, this is the one you select. Single animals need not apply.
For ages 4 and up.
The very first sentence in the book reads, “The nuisance of cats blamed it on the dog.” This is accompanied by a picture of six cats, surrounded by yarn, the ball not far away, one of its tail ends wrapped around the paws of a sleeping dog. All at once, the child reader can see what is happening. Four of the cats are surreptitiously looking at the dog, indicating that they’re curious to see if their plan to shift blame is working, and the other two are doing that cat thing where they ignore everything around them like everything’s fine. By reading this to a kid you can teach them the double meaning of nuisance and have them tell you what’s going on in the pictures. Turn the page and a new collective noun meets your eyes. “The memory of elephants knew the peanut field had to be around here somewhere.” New noun. New double meaning. And new storytelling opportunity. Fourteen double page spreads contain fourteen animal groupings that play with language in creative, kooky ways. Accompanied by Natalie Nelson’s stunning art, this is one book that takes its contents to a whole new level.
I mean, it’s entirely possible that a book of this sort has been done before. But even if it had been, Kyle Lukoff endows each small section with all the backstory and thought of a writing prompt. Have you ever seen Chris Van Allsburgh’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick? In that book, you get glimpses of different mysterious stories. Writing teachers have been using that book for short story writing prompts for years. Well, that book came out in 1984. I think it’s high time we added another book to the prompting repertoire, and A Storytelling of Ravens fits the bill. I mean, the book is working on so many levels at once. Kyle’s coming up with legitimate collective nouns, playing with their meanings, and providing glimpses into stories that could be deeply humorous or moving by turns. One wonders briefly what nouns or animals didn’t make the cut. Some of the obvious ones, like “a murder of crows” are missing, but I don’t think you’d miss them. After all, that could get a touch dark.
My sole objection to the written sections may be the ending of the book, or lack thereof. Picture books without plots have it rough to begin with. Hard enough to sustain interest without reviewers like myself hemming and hawing over whether or not your book ends on a high note. And Lukoff’s could technically be said to end on said note, since the last statement reads, “The exaltation of larks cheered. The Hollow Bones was their favorite band.” I know that the order of nouns in this book would have been carefully considered between the author and editor and that there was a very good reason for the larks to come last. Even so, I think some small changes could have been employed. The beginning, after all, is so very good with that “nuisance of cats”. For a capper to the entire project, I might have switched the larks for the “bloat” of hippos instead. The words don’t necessarily convey that this is the end, but Natalie Nelson has illustrated this one, sly hippo that is giving the readership a knowing smile. It’s the kind of smile that rounds out a collection perfectly.
Read this book with your eyes closed. Wait. That doesn’t make any sense. Okay, have someone else read this book to you while you have your eyes closed. Why? I want you to listen to the cadences. I want you to take in the tone. Here, I’ll help. This is the first sentence in the book:
“The nuisance of cats blamed it on the dog.”
What does that sound like to you? For me, the first thing that came to mind was Edward Gorey. In fact, as odd as it may sound, I honestly believe that if this book had been published 30-40 years ago, Gorey would have been the obvious illustrator to pair with it. An odd thing to say, I acknowledge freely, since the selection of Natalie Nelson as illustrator is both inspired and as unlike Gorey as you might find. Where he was monochromatic, she saturates her world in these luscious gouache paints. Where he would have spent untold hours on a line, she spends the same time on shape, placement, and how the double page spreads direct the reader’s eye. Yet both contain that understated humor so necessary when working hand in hand with Mr. Lukoff’s wordplay. I admit it. I’m impressed.
I do wonder at how much of a hand Mr. Lukoff had in the illustration decisions. For example, for the statement, “The tower of giraffes didn’t know where this new tree had come from, but it was delicious”, did he suggest in his manuscript notes that it be a Christmas tree? Did he say that the “new arrangement” for the shrewdness of apes consist of monkeys on top of monkeys (alas, Nelson’s one flaw is to give the apes in this book superfluous tails, something the editor probably should have caught)? Perhaps there were some notes with the original manuscript but I believe Ms. Nelson must have been given room to grow and play with this book. Often she comes up with inventive little ideas that could only have been hers alone. Look at how the elephants sometimes have drawn noses while others have mixed-media trunks. Or that single owl giving its hoot of dissent in the craziest manner possible while everyone around it gives it the stink eye. With the exception of those ape tails, Ms. Nelson’s free-range art is inventive in all the right ways, with just the correct amounts of whimsy and artistic generosity mixed together.
Is there a term for a book for young children that appeals on a host of different levels? Not just its outward facing premise, but in subtle ways that wouldn’t grab your attention at first? A Storytelling of Ravens, is a collective noun book, a short story prompting text, an opportunity to introduce and define new, complex words in the English language, and a funny book. Don’t downplay the funny aspect, by the way. It may not receive its due in the classroom, but sometimes humor is the spice that makes the whole picture book enterprise all the more pleasing. Lovely to the eye, enticing to the ear, and built with a great deal of care, if you have to pick only one collective noun / animal groupings book for your shelves, this is the one you select. Single animals need not apply.
For ages 4 and up.
September 9, 2020
No, we don't need another book about collective nouns. But, yes, at least this one is a little different, in that there is context added, context that is occasionally relevant to the word (a knot of toads is kinda cute). But I didn't like it, and don't recommend it.
March 17, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Words about words. I love that. Can never pass it up. Collective nouns old and new!
Simple pictures and words, and funny as well. My favorite is missing, though: a shiver of sharks.
Words about words. I love that. Can never pass it up. Collective nouns old and new!
Simple pictures and words, and funny as well. My favorite is missing, though: a shiver of sharks.
August 21, 2018
This is a book of terms of venery written with a child audience in mind. As such it is a bit on the instructive side but when taken altogether I think it failed in its approach.
First of all the person is clearly a dog person in my opinion for the collective for cats has never been nuisence that I know of. There are one or two more examples in the book itself that are much more modern venery terms while the rest seem to be of the older class.
At the same time there is no actual plot to the story nor has the telling been put in an actual instructive way. As a result the author gives the reader with the collective term then tries to make a tongue in cheek tie-in that plays on being clever to the term of venery that was used.
Meanwhile the book's actual illustrations are a brightly colored mess that has been spewed forth into your lap. The creatures presented aren't given in realistic format to coloring while the palette is restricted to what seems like the most obnoxious colors one can find.
For many young readers they will definitely need some help with the words that are presented like ostentation, possibly parliament and exaltation just to name a few while why he would choose the name Philomena I can't even imagine for this age group.
All in all it would make a nice start to terms of venery for children but that is only if you can stand it within its total. Unfortunately to me I think there has to be something better out there for children and that it would be best to skip this book in the long run.
First of all the person is clearly a dog person in my opinion for the collective for cats has never been nuisence that I know of. There are one or two more examples in the book itself that are much more modern venery terms while the rest seem to be of the older class.
At the same time there is no actual plot to the story nor has the telling been put in an actual instructive way. As a result the author gives the reader with the collective term then tries to make a tongue in cheek tie-in that plays on being clever to the term of venery that was used.
Meanwhile the book's actual illustrations are a brightly colored mess that has been spewed forth into your lap. The creatures presented aren't given in realistic format to coloring while the palette is restricted to what seems like the most obnoxious colors one can find.
For many young readers they will definitely need some help with the words that are presented like ostentation, possibly parliament and exaltation just to name a few while why he would choose the name Philomena I can't even imagine for this age group.
All in all it would make a nice start to terms of venery for children but that is only if you can stand it within its total. Unfortunately to me I think there has to be something better out there for children and that it would be best to skip this book in the long run.
March 21, 2019
Taking terms of venery - collective nouns used to describe various groups of animals - as an inspiration, first-time author Kyle Lukoff and artist Natalie Nelson produce a charming picture-book in A Storytelling of Ravens. Each two page spread describes a group of animals doing something rather quirky and offbeat - a bloat of hippopotamuses racing for the cupcake factory where there's been an explosion, the smack of jellyfish encountering a glass-bottomed boat - while the artwork accentuates the humor of their actions...
Although less of a story than it is a visual smorgasbord of animal groups, I found A Storytelling of Ravens quite engrossing, and I suspect that young animal lovers will as well. Of course, it helps that I love animal adjectives of all kinds, and find the terms of venery used here immensely entertaining. But even if that were not so, there is a quirky sense of humor here that I enjoyed, and I found the artwork quite beautiful. Recommended to anyone looking for unusual, offbeat, beautiful new picture-books.
Although less of a story than it is a visual smorgasbord of animal groups, I found A Storytelling of Ravens quite engrossing, and I suspect that young animal lovers will as well. Of course, it helps that I love animal adjectives of all kinds, and find the terms of venery used here immensely entertaining. But even if that were not so, there is a quirky sense of humor here that I enjoyed, and I found the artwork quite beautiful. Recommended to anyone looking for unusual, offbeat, beautiful new picture-books.
December 4, 2023
Collective nouns. An interesting take on language.
June 28, 2022
Man, I love this guy. A kindred spirit, for sure, as he's' clearly geeked about collective nouns, groups of animals, and wordplay.
"The smack of jellyfish had never seen a glass-bottomed boat before." (harhar - confused-looking jellyfish are staring up at two people looking down at them. Readers just see the backs of red and green-haired people along with the yellow, green, red, and pink jellies)
"The knot of toads didn't know what to do. Everyone wanted the fly, but not that badly." (you can imagine the tangly-tongued picture)
"The exaltation of larks cheered. The Hollow Bones was their favorite band."
The illustrations are appropriately quirky with a unique and consistent palette.
"The smack of jellyfish had never seen a glass-bottomed boat before." (harhar - confused-looking jellyfish are staring up at two people looking down at them. Readers just see the backs of red and green-haired people along with the yellow, green, red, and pink jellies)
"The knot of toads didn't know what to do. Everyone wanted the fly, but not that badly." (you can imagine the tangly-tongued picture)
"The exaltation of larks cheered. The Hollow Bones was their favorite band."
The illustrations are appropriately quirky with a unique and consistent palette.
May 1, 2018
Full disclosure - Kyle is a librarian and a friend, so call me doubly biased, but I highly recommend his debut picture book. It’s charming and clever, and feels truly original. While kids will need adult scaffolding for some of the jokes, I think it’s a book that invites repeat readings.
July 17, 2018
A clever and imaginative play on words. I enjoyed There is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith a bit better.
September 18, 2020
I have always been fascinated by words. Especially words that are intriguing.
A storytelling of ravens...how appropriate for this great book that brings together lovely illustrations and a whole new appreciation for groups of people....er, animals.....
A storytelling of ravens...how appropriate for this great book that brings together lovely illustrations and a whole new appreciation for groups of people....er, animals.....
March 30, 2021
It was cute enough, but I feel like the wordplay might go over the head of kids too young and also it might not be interesting enough for older kids.
April 25, 2018
This is such a charming book- one that parents and teachers will love as much as the kids. The text is short, snappy, and witty; and the illustrations are delightful and wry. (Disclaimer: I know the author, but the wordsmith in me would love this book just the same)
August 7, 2018
What an inquisitive picture book focusing on unusual collective nouns! Perhaps the only disappointment is in the title, since a group of crows isn't actually a 'storytelling', but an 'unkindness' or 'conspiracy'. Although that probably wouldn't make an appealing picture book title.
March 5, 2022
I think I managed to read this once, but my husband was lucky in that he probably read it 20+ times to Baby, who loved it. There were a few animal groups that I had already known, and it was fun to hear some more animal groups. The illustrations were fun and it seemed the right length.
May 14, 2018
Wonderful! This book is everything you want to see in a children's book: humor, education, and clever wordplay. Adults will enjoy this one just as much as, or even more than, kids.
June 23, 2019
Why we chose this book:
Three words: animals and wordplay
Groundwood Books provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mom's Review (V)
Imagine a group of hippopotamuses, a bloat, to be precise, paddling down the river to a cupcake factory. How will they feel after indulging themselves? Bloated, perhaps? If you like this type of humor, then grab your copy of A Storytelling of Ravens. Each animal group name, from that bloat of hippos to a smack of jellyfish to an ostentation of peacocks, is used with double, hysterical meaning. T didn't understand that "nuisance," "smack," and "ostentation" referred to the animal groups at first; he just thought the cats were annoying the dog, the jellyfish were hitting a boat, and the peacocks were fancy. He enjoyed the silliness of the animals' exploits and the novelty of the illustrations. When I explained how the words had dual meanings, however, he enjoyed the book even more; he loves tricks and humor, and the idea of playing with words, of being a bit tricky, delighted him. The illustrations, likewise, were a source of amusement. Each illustration includes small portions of photographs, which became a seek-and-find game for him. The moon behind the parliament of owls, for example, is a photograph of the full moon.
Short and sweet and silly and sharp, A Storytelling of Ravens is a delight in wordplay and the nuances of the English language.
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 4 years old)
Note: We have now read and discussed A Storytelling of Ravens countless times. T's favorite animal group changes every time.
Mom: What's your favorite page?
Son: My favorite page is the elephant one because some of the elephants want some peanuts and that's silly. / The cat part because I like cats. The exaltation because I just like exalting. / This page is my favorite page because I think that these guys [larks] are cuties.
Mom: What's fun about the pictures?
Son: That photographs are on each. So, it's not all photographs. Look! This part's the photograph. And here. And here!
(T pointing to the spots on some of the giraffes.)
Mom: I like how they play with the words.
Son: Me too. I think that they [jellyfish] smack into the bottom of the glass boat. So FUNNY!!!
Son, pointing to the sloth of bears: It looks like the bears have a little drink. So it's green and pink bears. Super silly! (turning the page) The duck is the intruder! Isn't it super silly?
Mom: So super silly! Is that what you like about the book?
Son: I'd say it's the best book in the world because it's so silly and I like silly things and a lot of my books are silly and that's the best thing in the world.
Mom: I also like how you can learn and how the author plays with words.
Son: Yeah. So the bloat is the group of hippos. You would get bloated! "Three words: Explosion at the cupcake factory!"
(This is *almost* a quote.)
Three words: animals and wordplay
Groundwood Books provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mom's Review (V)
Imagine a group of hippopotamuses, a bloat, to be precise, paddling down the river to a cupcake factory. How will they feel after indulging themselves? Bloated, perhaps? If you like this type of humor, then grab your copy of A Storytelling of Ravens. Each animal group name, from that bloat of hippos to a smack of jellyfish to an ostentation of peacocks, is used with double, hysterical meaning. T didn't understand that "nuisance," "smack," and "ostentation" referred to the animal groups at first; he just thought the cats were annoying the dog, the jellyfish were hitting a boat, and the peacocks were fancy. He enjoyed the silliness of the animals' exploits and the novelty of the illustrations. When I explained how the words had dual meanings, however, he enjoyed the book even more; he loves tricks and humor, and the idea of playing with words, of being a bit tricky, delighted him. The illustrations, likewise, were a source of amusement. Each illustration includes small portions of photographs, which became a seek-and-find game for him. The moon behind the parliament of owls, for example, is a photograph of the full moon.
Short and sweet and silly and sharp, A Storytelling of Ravens is a delight in wordplay and the nuances of the English language.
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 4 years old)
Note: We have now read and discussed A Storytelling of Ravens countless times. T's favorite animal group changes every time.
Mom: What's your favorite page?
Son: My favorite page is the elephant one because some of the elephants want some peanuts and that's silly. / The cat part because I like cats. The exaltation because I just like exalting. / This page is my favorite page because I think that these guys [larks] are cuties.
Mom: What's fun about the pictures?
Son: That photographs are on each. So, it's not all photographs. Look! This part's the photograph. And here. And here!
(T pointing to the spots on some of the giraffes.)
Mom: I like how they play with the words.
Son: Me too. I think that they [jellyfish] smack into the bottom of the glass boat. So FUNNY!!!
Son, pointing to the sloth of bears: It looks like the bears have a little drink. So it's green and pink bears. Super silly! (turning the page) The duck is the intruder! Isn't it super silly?
Mom: So super silly! Is that what you like about the book?
Son: I'd say it's the best book in the world because it's so silly and I like silly things and a lot of my books are silly and that's the best thing in the world.
Mom: I also like how you can learn and how the author plays with words.
Son: Yeah. So the bloat is the group of hippos. You would get bloated! "Three words: Explosion at the cupcake factory!"
(This is *almost* a quote.)
July 17, 2018
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is A Storytelling Of Ravens, written by Kyle Lukoff and illustrated by Natalie Nelson, a wonderfully quirky book about animal collectives.
Basing each illustration/text example around a different animal collective noun (such as a “storytelling of ravens” or a “shrewdness of apes”), the reader is treated to a number of delightfully weird situations in which the animals play out the literal definition of their collective name. For instance, a parliament of owls thought their motion would pass unanimously, but there was one vote of dissent. The tower of giraffes aren’t sure where the pine tree decorated with candy canes and popcorn came from, but they do know it’s delicious. And the memory of elephants was SURE that peanut patch was around here somewhere…
Strange, silly, and full of charm. While some of the jokes might fly over the heads of smaller bookworms, they are nonetheless hilarious for older readers. But most of the gags do a fantastic job of straddling simple exaggeration for little ones with deadpan text that will delight adults – who wouldn’t enjoy the image of a bloat of hippos making their way to a smokestack spewing sprinkles, accompanied by the text: “Five words: explosion at the cupcake factory”. It’s ridiculous fun aided nicely by the colorful art, and comes in at an easy length for any age. JJ and I had a lot of fun with this one, and we recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
May 28, 2018
In mixed-media brightest of colors by Natalie Nelson, Kyle Lukoff takes a step further in describing those collective animal names of which we are fond. No "murder of crows" here, but a delightful assortment of kinds of animals, including a smack of jellyfish and a sloth of bears. Did you know those names? In the extra info, Kyle adds to the story that makes meaning of the collections. For example, the "knot of toads didn't know what to do. Everyone wanted the fly, but not that badly." The illustration shows those long, long tongues in a knot on the way to catch that fly! And, the "exaltation of larks cheered. The Hollow Bones was their favorite band." Quirky interpretations paired with marvelous illustrations make a wonderful book to read aloud, and maybe create some stories from other collective animal names.
May 25, 2018
This is interesting, most of the words used inform the illustrations and it creates a fun interplay between the two. I think some of the choices used hurt my enjoyment of it because several of the earlier ones are less common alternate names for animals I knew a group name for so when it opens with cats, elephants, and sheep in the first five, which I am familiar with group names for other than the ones used, I assumed that the group names were made up. Then I got confused when I ran into ones I knew were actually used like the peacocks. Thinking they were made up made it feel less interesting. I was impressed on the reread when I knew they were all actual group names for those animals, but my initial take was less enthusiastic.
June 6, 2018
Great title, appealing art, I was excited at the first line that someone had FINALLY taken the intriguing names of groups of animals and created a story. Well, sort of. Each page tells a small story, think flash fiction very micro that you have to carry in your mind. Not a bad thing. I can imagine great discussions to finish up the stories at various readings (what happens after the bloat of hippos get to the cupcake factory?) but I have to admit to being disappointed that it wasn't one connected story which the first page promised but didn't deliver. This would provide superb writing prompts for young authors as well as be a fun introduction to the curious names given to groups of creatures.
April 14, 2018
Lukoff, Kyle A Storytelling of Ravens, pictures by Natalie Nelson. PICTURE BOOK. Groundwood Books, 2018. $19. 978-1554989126
Lukoff tries to bring sly humor to the collective nouns that we use for animal groups. Unfortunately the meanings will be lost on a young audience. The stylized illustrations are colorful and amusing. This might be useful in an older (high school) class as a short exercise in creative writing or illustration, but getting a high school teacher to use a picture book is a different struggle in and of itself.
HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Lukoff tries to bring sly humor to the collective nouns that we use for animal groups. Unfortunately the meanings will be lost on a young audience. The stylized illustrations are colorful and amusing. This might be useful in an older (high school) class as a short exercise in creative writing or illustration, but getting a high school teacher to use a picture book is a different struggle in and of itself.
HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
January 29, 2020
Storytelling of Ravens by Kyle Lukoff is Kipling-esque poetry at it's best, where inanimate emotions seen in animals have a life all their own. The hungry of the hippos leads them to a cupcake factory (since cupcakes are nicer treats for hungry hungry hippos than white marbles, obviously!), the longevity of the giraffes gets them to find tall Christmas trees a tasty Christmas present, and the storytelling of the Ravens causes them to gripe with the human neighbor since he likes telling his story--again! ("Don't caw us, we'll caw you!") Wonderful book, and Lukoff is just warming up!
Three stars
Ravens ever more rock!!!
Three stars
Ravens ever more rock!!!
May 4, 2018
Although I didn't particularly like the storyline here, I did enjoy the wordplay and the use of collective nouns, many of which I had never heard of--a nuisance of cats, a knot of toads, a sloth of bears, for instance. Complemented with illustrations, created with gouache paint, ink drawings found photos, and digital collage, this book might be useful to share with students who love collecting unusual words. I wish there'd been a little bit more of a plot, but it was still fun to follow the animals to see what collective noun might be introduced next.
May 15, 2022
A book revolving around collective nouns — "a business of ferrets," "a bloat of hippopotamuses." I got it because I really liked the author's When Aidan Became A Brother. This was OK but didn't distinguish itself from the other books mentioning series of collective nouns.
March 11, 2018
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Cleverly written and illustrated, kids will have a lot of fun learning different words and phrases with this book. While some made me pause and think, I think they'd be pretty easy to grasp by kids. I personally loved the sloth of bears and the parliament of owls.
4.5/5 rounds to 5/5.
Cleverly written and illustrated, kids will have a lot of fun learning different words and phrases with this book. While some made me pause and think, I think they'd be pretty easy to grasp by kids. I personally loved the sloth of bears and the parliament of owls.
4.5/5 rounds to 5/5.
July 15, 2018
Four stars for cleverness and creativity. This was too sophisticated to capture the interest of my 10-year-old granddaughter, but I loved it as an adult. This is over-the-top fun for language lovers and just right for stirring the imagination of young writers wanting to stretch their wings. Natalie Nelson's illustrations are a delight.
A unique and delightful book.
A unique and delightful book.
July 21, 2018
A picture book of collective nouns?!? This nerd says yes please!!!
It was a bit disappointing in its lack of cohesiveness though. Each page stands alone, which is fine, unless the grand total is 16 pages of text.
Still.
It's a well illustrated picture book about collective nouns. It lacks cohesion but until something better emerges, I say credit for first foray.
It was a bit disappointing in its lack of cohesiveness though. Each page stands alone, which is fine, unless the grand total is 16 pages of text.
Still.
It's a well illustrated picture book about collective nouns. It lacks cohesion but until something better emerges, I say credit for first foray.
September 20, 2018
I would have rated it higher if the only clue to animal nomenclature wasn't in the subject headings across from the title page. Without that or knowledge of animal group names, it is too confusing. I picked up the book at my library because I liked the title and cover illustration.
September 30, 2018
Groups of animals have special names. Lukoff and Nelson gather of few groups of animals and give them a short one sentence story on each page of this picture book. It's clever and would be fun to share with elementary students and up.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Reviewed from a library copy.
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