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After Mr. and Mrs. Armadillo are married, they decide to have children and lots of them, so their friends must scramble to get just the perfect gifts for the ten new additions to their friends' growing family.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2002
21 people want to read
About the author
Vladimir Radunsky
44 books21 followersBorn in the Ural Mountains of Russia, Vladimir Radunsky migrated to the United States in 1982, when he was still a relatively young man. Since then he has become well known for his brightly colored artwork and dynamic collages. Among the many children's books he has illustrated are the Candlewick Press titles HOWDI DO, BLING BLANG, and MY DOLLY, in which his vibrant images bring to life the nursery songs of folk-singing legend Woody Guthrie--tunes that appealed to him because they reminded him of songs he loved as a child growing up in Russia.
In collaboration with fellow illustrator Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky wrote and illustrated a rather unique collection of tongue-in-cheek advice on a very important topic: TABLE MANNERS. Through their alter egos Dudunya (Vladimir) and Chester (Chris), the pair share their considerable wisdom in a how-to guide to mealtime behavior. The artist moved on to explore the world of shapes in SQUARE TRIANGLE ROUND SKINNY, a boxed set of fun, funky board books featuring his brilliant graphics.
"I don't pick the medium I work in, but rather it just happens," he says. "And most of the elements I use are repeated in various combinations. Recently I came across a story by Hans Christian Andersen. In it, I found this thought that pretty closely resembles my work principle: 'Ah, godfather could really tell fairy tales--they were long and plentiful. And at Christmastime he would take a thick, blank album and paste in it pictures that he cut out of books and newspapers. When he could not find a picture that fitted the story, he would draw one.'"
Vladimir Radunsky now lives in Rome, Italy.
In collaboration with fellow illustrator Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky wrote and illustrated a rather unique collection of tongue-in-cheek advice on a very important topic: TABLE MANNERS. Through their alter egos Dudunya (Vladimir) and Chester (Chris), the pair share their considerable wisdom in a how-to guide to mealtime behavior. The artist moved on to explore the world of shapes in SQUARE TRIANGLE ROUND SKINNY, a boxed set of fun, funky board books featuring his brilliant graphics.
"I don't pick the medium I work in, but rather it just happens," he says. "And most of the elements I use are repeated in various combinations. Recently I came across a story by Hans Christian Andersen. In it, I found this thought that pretty closely resembles my work principle: 'Ah, godfather could really tell fairy tales--they were long and plentiful. And at Christmastime he would take a thick, blank album and paste in it pictures that he cut out of books and newspapers. When he could not find a picture that fitted the story, he would draw one.'"
Vladimir Radunsky now lives in Rome, Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 20, 2019
My latest picture-book author crush is an oldie but goodie, the insanely inventive and funny Vladimir Radunsky. If this armadillo family doesn't make you laugh, you don't have a pulse.
September 12, 2012
Genre: Counting Book – Picture Book
Summary: Mr. and Mrs. Armadillo live in wedded bliss in Villa Armadillo and begin to dream of having babies. Mrs. Armadillo indeed gives birth to ten armadillos whom are named the numbers 1 through 10 because it is easier. Family members visit and each brings ten gifts for the new family to include ten potties, ten baseball caps, ten pink tutus and ten interesting pets.
Critique: (a.) The appeal of this picture book is that the author/illustrator breaks all of the picture book rules to tell the sweet, humorous story of Mr. and Mrs. Armadillo. There are no page numbers. Text is all kinds of fonts and all kinds of sizes. The illustrations are a mix match of medias.
b.)Ten is an eclectic tantalizer from the front to the back cover as you turn each page to see, “Now, what has Radunsky done?” Everything is done “wrong” and it just makes it so “right.”
c.) The inside cover is mismatched and visually disruptive with the publishing information turned sideways and written across the edge of the page. The first page is turned sideways and is a wacky description of an armadillo placed adjacent to a correct-side-up page of armadillos’ dress habits. Radunsky immediately engages the reader by talking to us and including us in his thought processes as he writes, “I will tell you a story about an armadillo. Or perhaps I should say two armadillos. No, that’s not right either. I’d better start from the beginning” (p.1). The reader is confused and wondering, ”What is going on? Where is the title page?” Turn the page and now we have the title page on incredibly bright, striped, colored paper with the author’s caption: “a wonderful story: The story and pictures will be mine.” (p. 3,4) This is followed by a picture of a very strange man (the author) with a proclamation: “That’s me, Vladimir Radunsky” (p. 4). We are teased as to what the armadillos first names are but they are never revealed. “And what are their names? Mr. Armadillo’s is …hmm…Alfred? Aaron? Amos? Augustin? No, definitely not Augustin…oh, I have forgotten his name” (p.7). The final page is an abrupt ending that occurs on a fold out page and leaves us hanging. The author again lets us in on his thought processes, “One Sunday, the whole armadillo family went for a stroll. There were Mr. And Mrs. Armadillo….and, of course, all the animals. (I could not draw them all because I didn’t have enough room on the page, but believe me they were there)” (p. 26). The back cover contains fictitious quotes from Armadillo Planned Parenthood, Armadillo Cinema Week and a Professor of Early Armadillo Development.
Curriculum Connection: The very obvious connection is to use this book as an enthusiastic read-aloud for learning to count. However, I would also use this book with middle school and high school writers to teach about author’s voice, an author’s thought processes, and how someone can enjoy playing with words and delight an audience.
Summary: Mr. and Mrs. Armadillo live in wedded bliss in Villa Armadillo and begin to dream of having babies. Mrs. Armadillo indeed gives birth to ten armadillos whom are named the numbers 1 through 10 because it is easier. Family members visit and each brings ten gifts for the new family to include ten potties, ten baseball caps, ten pink tutus and ten interesting pets.
Critique: (a.) The appeal of this picture book is that the author/illustrator breaks all of the picture book rules to tell the sweet, humorous story of Mr. and Mrs. Armadillo. There are no page numbers. Text is all kinds of fonts and all kinds of sizes. The illustrations are a mix match of medias.
b.)Ten is an eclectic tantalizer from the front to the back cover as you turn each page to see, “Now, what has Radunsky done?” Everything is done “wrong” and it just makes it so “right.”
c.) The inside cover is mismatched and visually disruptive with the publishing information turned sideways and written across the edge of the page. The first page is turned sideways and is a wacky description of an armadillo placed adjacent to a correct-side-up page of armadillos’ dress habits. Radunsky immediately engages the reader by talking to us and including us in his thought processes as he writes, “I will tell you a story about an armadillo. Or perhaps I should say two armadillos. No, that’s not right either. I’d better start from the beginning” (p.1). The reader is confused and wondering, ”What is going on? Where is the title page?” Turn the page and now we have the title page on incredibly bright, striped, colored paper with the author’s caption: “a wonderful story: The story and pictures will be mine.” (p. 3,4) This is followed by a picture of a very strange man (the author) with a proclamation: “That’s me, Vladimir Radunsky” (p. 4). We are teased as to what the armadillos first names are but they are never revealed. “And what are their names? Mr. Armadillo’s is …hmm…Alfred? Aaron? Amos? Augustin? No, definitely not Augustin…oh, I have forgotten his name” (p.7). The final page is an abrupt ending that occurs on a fold out page and leaves us hanging. The author again lets us in on his thought processes, “One Sunday, the whole armadillo family went for a stroll. There were Mr. And Mrs. Armadillo….and, of course, all the animals. (I could not draw them all because I didn’t have enough room on the page, but believe me they were there)” (p. 26). The back cover contains fictitious quotes from Armadillo Planned Parenthood, Armadillo Cinema Week and a Professor of Early Armadillo Development.
Curriculum Connection: The very obvious connection is to use this book as an enthusiastic read-aloud for learning to count. However, I would also use this book with middle school and high school writers to teach about author’s voice, an author’s thought processes, and how someone can enjoy playing with words and delight an audience.
Want to read
July 27, 2008Elizabeth, did you see this?!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews