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Atticus, el chico difícil
Atticus es un niño difícil. Al menos eso piensan sus padres. Por eso, cuando Atticus intenta explicarles que una serpiente gigantesca ha salido de su armario, sus padres insisten en que todo está en su cabeza y en que ya es demasiado mayor para inventarse esas tonterías. (¿Y no podría, por favor, ponerse a hacer los deberes?) Incluso cuando la cobra se traga a Atticus por completo, ¡sus padres no están convencidos! (¿De dónde ha sacado ese disfraz de serpiente? ¿Podría hacer el favor de guardarlo?) ¿Qué debe hacer el pobre Atticus si sus padres jamás lo escuchan? Con guiños al humor deliciosamente oscuro de Edward Gorey, Florence Parry Heide y Jon Klassen, Michael Sussman y Júlia Sardà se identifican con los niños de todo el mundo que deben lidiar con unos padres difíciles. Júlia Sardà, autora de «Mary, que escribió Frankenstein» y «Los Liszt», vuelve con un bellísimo libro lleno de humor que recuerda al mejor Edward Gorey.
40 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2019
135 people want to read
About the author
Michael B. Sussman
8 books68 followersAbandoned by a cackle of hyenas, Michael Sussman endured the drudgery and hardships of a Moldavian orphanage until fleeing with a traveling circus at the age of twelve. A promising career as a trapeze artist was cut short by a concussion that rendered him lame and mute. Sussman wandered the world, getting by on such odd jobs as pet-food tester, cheese sculptor, human scarecrow, and professional mourner while teaching himself the art of fiction. He now lives in Tahiti with Gauguin, an African Grey parrot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 3, 2024
I enjoyed this book a lot. It reminded me of the Treehorn books by Florence Parry Heide – another poor child whose parents pay little attention to their concerns.
The illustrations are great. The characters look like people from a bygone era – one where children should be ‘seen but not heard’, which really fits with the story.
Children’s imaginations should be celebrated and encouraged – not squashed. Parenting from a book without considering the actual child, with all its unique aspects, is not just bad – it is cruel and damaging.
And children should ALWAYS be listened to and taken seriously when they are reporting their fears (whether real or potentially imagined).
Duckworth is not the problem here – his parents are.
I have bought this book, but am not sure who to give it to – would I be insulting the parents of the recipient?
The illustrations are great. The characters look like people from a bygone era – one where children should be ‘seen but not heard’, which really fits with the story.
Children’s imaginations should be celebrated and encouraged – not squashed. Parenting from a book without considering the actual child, with all its unique aspects, is not just bad – it is cruel and damaging.
And children should ALWAYS be listened to and taken seriously when they are reporting their fears (whether real or potentially imagined).
Duckworth is not the problem here – his parents are.
I have bought this book, but am not sure who to give it to – would I be insulting the parents of the recipient?
February 10, 2019
I loved this one. It reminded me so very much of Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library stories—especially Pierre, which was my favorite—and the illustrations are gorgeous and full of tiny details that reward re-reading. Is it going to be loved by kids? Probably not, or at least not many of them. Do I want a copy of my very own for my very own library? YES! YES! YES!
October 14, 2019
Duckworth's parents think their son is just being difficult again when he announces to them that he has been eaten by a snake. Duckworth realizes he is going to have to take matters into his own hands, and ignore their pronouncements about his character. So he does. And he is off to find his own book...on difficult parents.
Beautiful and novel artwork and a deeply thoughtful story.
Beautiful and novel artwork and a deeply thoughtful story.
June 17, 2020
"El libro es cuerpo, el de la serpiente, el de Atticus y el de la reflexión sobre la infancia. Los niños no son el problema y la crítica de Sussman es radical pero amable. Apuntaría que la ilustración de Júlia Sardà es todavía mejor que en los anteriores libros y brilla especialmente en los dibujos arquitectónicos. Un libro para niños y padres; y para que los padres sigan siendo niños." Jara de Tomás
December 31, 2019
Charming and delightful, with wonderful illustrations. Poor Duckworth is eaten by a snake, his parents respond to this crisis, be refusing to see that it has happened, and admonishing Duckworth to take off his snake costume.
picture-books
August 14, 2019What a strange, and utterly delightful, book! I wanted to shake the parents the whole time and take Duckworth home with me.
June 22, 2019
For children of all ages who must survive difficult parents
DUCKWORTH, THE DIFFICULT CHILD, by Michael Sussman, a picture book illustrated by Júlia Sardà, is full of the humor we expect from this writer, also author of the picture book OTTO GROWS DOWN, regarded in the children's literature community as a classic, as well as the recently published adult sui generis INCOGNOLIO. Duckworth, an unappreciated child, must use his own ingenuity to deal with being swallowed by a snake, since his neglectful parents dismiss his plight as the unwelcome flight of fancy of a 'difficult' child. Sussman draws on his life-experience as a therapist to depict the ambience of 'difficult,' self-preoccupied parents. The delightful text is illustrated by gorgeous illustrations featuring a larger-than-life shining red-orange dragon-like snake. (The drab version of the cover shown when listing the book does not even come close to doing the art justice.) Both children and adults will enjoy this one.
DUCKWORTH, THE DIFFICULT CHILD, by Michael Sussman, a picture book illustrated by Júlia Sardà, is full of the humor we expect from this writer, also author of the picture book OTTO GROWS DOWN, regarded in the children's literature community as a classic, as well as the recently published adult sui generis INCOGNOLIO. Duckworth, an unappreciated child, must use his own ingenuity to deal with being swallowed by a snake, since his neglectful parents dismiss his plight as the unwelcome flight of fancy of a 'difficult' child. Sussman draws on his life-experience as a therapist to depict the ambience of 'difficult,' self-preoccupied parents. The delightful text is illustrated by gorgeous illustrations featuring a larger-than-life shining red-orange dragon-like snake. (The drab version of the cover shown when listing the book does not even come close to doing the art justice.) Both children and adults will enjoy this one.
August 25, 2021
I'm not sure about this one.
A boy named Duckworth is a difficult child. We know this because his parents tell him this to his face and tell other adults while he's around. They're reading a book on how to deal with a difficult child and they tell Duckworth things like "This book says you should do more chores. Go take out the trash."
Meanwhile, a giant snake comes out of Duckworth's closet and swallows him whole, then slithers around with him inside it. His parents tell him to take off the costume.
Is it a costume? I assume so. But my kids take it literally because it's a picture book and all kinds of fantastical things happen in picture books.
Is it appropriate to tell your kid they're difficult? I don't think so. When I make sure my kids get outside to get some exercise, I tell them that exercise is good for their health but I don't tell them that they behave better when they're not antsy. So I wouldn't tell them they were difficult. But this is written by a psychologist. Does he think this is a good idea? Or a comedically bad idea?
The book is stylish in its art and pacing and my kids keep wanting to reread it. So, I dunno.
A boy named Duckworth is a difficult child. We know this because his parents tell him this to his face and tell other adults while he's around. They're reading a book on how to deal with a difficult child and they tell Duckworth things like "This book says you should do more chores. Go take out the trash."
Meanwhile, a giant snake comes out of Duckworth's closet and swallows him whole, then slithers around with him inside it. His parents tell him to take off the costume.
Is it a costume? I assume so. But my kids take it literally because it's a picture book and all kinds of fantastical things happen in picture books.
Is it appropriate to tell your kid they're difficult? I don't think so. When I make sure my kids get outside to get some exercise, I tell them that exercise is good for their health but I don't tell them that they behave better when they're not antsy. So I wouldn't tell them they were difficult. But this is written by a psychologist. Does he think this is a good idea? Or a comedically bad idea?
The book is stylish in its art and pacing and my kids keep wanting to reread it. So, I dunno.
July 15, 2019
Delightful story of a young boy by the name of Duckworth. Duckworth is building a toothpick castle in his room, when out of the closet comes a giant snake. Duckworth goes to his parents for help but they feel that he is a "difficult child" and ignore him. What follows is an adventure Involving Duckworth and the snake ( a cobra). The illustrations are perfect for the story. The clothing reminds you of Edwardian England, minimal color. The lines are clean and clear-cut.
I received this as a review copy and can't wait until my cousin gets older so I can read it to her.
I received this as a review copy and can't wait until my cousin gets older so I can read it to her.
January 5, 2020
What a strange and delightful story. The vintage style art and slightly cruel humor reminded me of Dennis Lee's "Alligator Pie", and I think older kids will like the wry darkness of this story.
Duckworth, a young boy, gets eaten by a snake. His parents ignore this very obvious fact, playing checkers and musing about how difficult he is. Eventually he gets free and his parents still believe that he was just wearing a costume.
Duckworth, a young boy, gets eaten by a snake. His parents ignore this very obvious fact, playing checkers and musing about how difficult he is. Eventually he gets free and his parents still believe that he was just wearing a costume.
January 21, 2020
This is a very fun and unique book about a child who has to deal with parents who won’t take him seriously. He is by far the more mature member of the family. Enjoyable for kids and adults, it is simple and direct with a wonderful flair of irony. The illustrations are well matched to the story, with a limited palette and stylized compositions that reinforce the humor. A nice way to consider the difficulties of raising kids, and being kids.
November 17, 2019
I'm now reading kids' books for fun because, well, time. I'm going for books with witty/crass titles and themes and good illustrations. This book scores on the latter and for making fun of difficult, detached parents. The illustrations are super clever and have fun details. I would love to see a Duckworth series.
July 15, 2019
A difficult child with clueless parents in this droll, macabre tale reminiscent of Gorey and Snicket.
June 20, 2020
El libro es cuerpo, el de la serpiente, el de Atticus y el de la reflexión sobre la infancia. Los niños no son el problema y la crítica de Sussman es radical pero amable. Apuntaría que la ilustración de Júlia Sardà es todavía mejor que en los anteriores libros y brilla especialmente en los dibujos arquitectónicos. Un libro para niños y padres; y para que los padres sigan siendo niños.
March 24, 2021
3.5 stars
January 20, 2020
Adore the modern illustrations—superb style. And the theme is funny while real; the end makes it work well. A really smart book.
September 4, 2019
Delightfully dark
October 18, 2019
Darkly absurd and hilarious! If you enjoy Edward Gorey, you’ll love this.
September 19, 2019
Children are in for a treat as they learn that they might not be the only ones with difficult parents...and their parents might not be so difficult after all.
Duckworth is a difficult child. Or so, his parents believe. They even have a book to tell them how to deal with difficult children like Duckworth. All's well until strange noises come from Duckworth's wardrobe and a gigantic, huge snake slithers out. His parents attribute his claims of having a snake in his room to his over active imagination, aka being a difficult child. Although the book (they think) tells them how to deal with it, things get much worse for Duckworth.
These pages flip-flop the usual, wonderful parent setting found in picture books, and demonstrate how some kids feel completely misunderstood (and somewhat ignored). But in a slightly dark and humorous way. Duckworth hits the first page as a very normal kid. He's not mean. He's not disobedient. But his parents are a bit stuck in their own thoughts and ways. It's bitter-sweet, and as a parent, makes you want to give Duckworth a big hug.
While not a feel-good-read, this one will have kids giggling, gasping and wondering how Duckworth will make it (while having a few more giggles in between). Young listeners will connect with it...as every kid feels a bit ignored at one time or the other...but it also ends with humor and a bit of a self-confidence boost. (And a way to keep those snakes from sneaking out of the closet).
The illustrations are lovely but not quite as colorful and bright as many seen in picture books. It fits the stuffy atmosphere of Duckworth's world extremely well. There are small details filtered in, which young listeners will enjoy. And the snake is so big and bold...which might be saying more than what one first thinks. After hearing the tale, young listeners will grab this one on their own just to flip through the pictures and dive into the story.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this tale so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Duckworth is a difficult child. Or so, his parents believe. They even have a book to tell them how to deal with difficult children like Duckworth. All's well until strange noises come from Duckworth's wardrobe and a gigantic, huge snake slithers out. His parents attribute his claims of having a snake in his room to his over active imagination, aka being a difficult child. Although the book (they think) tells them how to deal with it, things get much worse for Duckworth.
These pages flip-flop the usual, wonderful parent setting found in picture books, and demonstrate how some kids feel completely misunderstood (and somewhat ignored). But in a slightly dark and humorous way. Duckworth hits the first page as a very normal kid. He's not mean. He's not disobedient. But his parents are a bit stuck in their own thoughts and ways. It's bitter-sweet, and as a parent, makes you want to give Duckworth a big hug.
While not a feel-good-read, this one will have kids giggling, gasping and wondering how Duckworth will make it (while having a few more giggles in between). Young listeners will connect with it...as every kid feels a bit ignored at one time or the other...but it also ends with humor and a bit of a self-confidence boost. (And a way to keep those snakes from sneaking out of the closet).
The illustrations are lovely but not quite as colorful and bright as many seen in picture books. It fits the stuffy atmosphere of Duckworth's world extremely well. There are small details filtered in, which young listeners will enjoy. And the snake is so big and bold...which might be saying more than what one first thinks. After hearing the tale, young listeners will grab this one on their own just to flip through the pictures and dive into the story.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this tale so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
July 25, 2019
The text and art are a perfect match, and the characterization for this wonderfully unique child with oblivious parents is full of humor and heart. The story sets up a great contrast between parents and child. Duckworth might argue that truth really is stranger than fiction and that his parents’ lack of imagination is the real problem. Let's face it - don't we all think we've had difficult parents at one time or another? I love the end and hope you'll find an opportunity to discover it yourself.
December 20, 2019
This is a very droll story with a feel of Benjamin Chaud's books in both text and art. In fact, I was surprised that it wasn't published by Chronicle. I love this type of humor.
Read
August 2, 2019A worthy successor to Edward Gorey's TREEHORN, one of my favorite, subversive classics.
June 23, 2019
If Lemony Snicket and Edward Gorey teamed up for a picture book, it would feel like “Duckworth, The Difficult Child”. Dry humor with creepy illustrations and droll characters all make for a fun read - though adults will likely be more amused than the intended children’s audience.
September 17, 2019
This book is brilliant in every way, from the clever original story to the gorgeous illustrations. I loved it!
January 31, 2020
Duckworth's parents are trying to figure out how to deal with him. (He is a difficult child.) No worries, though, their book on dealing with difficult children tells them exactly what to do when Duckworth tells them a giant snake has slithered out of his closet.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Duckworth's parents are certain he is imagining the whole thing--something he is far too old to be doing--even when the snake swallows Duckworth whole. His parents are impressed by the convincing costume but less so by Duckworth's wearing it everywhere.
Will Duckworth be able to get out before his cousin Digby comes over and is swallowed too? Will he be able to find a book for dealing with difficult parents?
Sussman's dry text and Sardà's restricted color palette are a perfect combination in this story filled with snark, absurdity, and one gigantic snake. The spiritual successor to Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell that I have been waiting for,
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Duckworth's parents are certain he is imagining the whole thing--something he is far too old to be doing--even when the snake swallows Duckworth whole. His parents are impressed by the convincing costume but less so by Duckworth's wearing it everywhere.
Will Duckworth be able to get out before his cousin Digby comes over and is swallowed too? Will he be able to find a book for dealing with difficult parents?
Sussman's dry text and Sardà's restricted color palette are a perfect combination in this story filled with snark, absurdity, and one gigantic snake. The spiritual successor to Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell that I have been waiting for,
May 18, 2024
Duckworth (2019) is a pretty funny picture book by clinical psychologist and writer Michael Sussman, illustrated gorgeously by Júlia Sardà. The design, the illustration, that's the highlight of this one. Sussman does a version of what he did on another picture book, Otto Grows Down, where he creates a reversal for insight and laughs.
Duckworth has stuffy parents who are reading a book on how to deal with a difficult child, so they deny his "fantasies," and tell him that he has not in fact been swallowed by a cobra, that he must grow up and face reality, and so on. But it is clear that Duckworth has difficult parents, not the other way around. Duckworth needs to read a book about them!
The real star of the book is the beautiful, orange cobra! 6 star artwork!
Duckworth has stuffy parents who are reading a book on how to deal with a difficult child, so they deny his "fantasies," and tell him that he has not in fact been swallowed by a cobra, that he must grow up and face reality, and so on. But it is clear that Duckworth has difficult parents, not the other way around. Duckworth needs to read a book about them!
The real star of the book is the beautiful, orange cobra! 6 star artwork!
December 15, 2019
This is one of those books that I love, but I suspect I only love it because I am an adult. I can't imagine reading this at a storytime unless it was a 3rd grade class visit. The artwork is gorgeous but incredibly creepy and the plot follows suit. The parents are so busy reading about parenting that they fail to parent, and no one listens to poor Duckworth. I'm also just going to say it...what are the chances that his clarinet was already swallowed by the snake? A little convenient, Ducky. Also, part of me thinks it might really have been a costume??? Haha, I am torn on this one. It is a thinker.
October 18, 2019
I enjoyed this and thought it EXTREMELY CLEVER. But overall, I thought the artwork a bit droll, and that it would appeal to an older crowd, specifically those adults who had parents that did not understand them when they were children, rather than current children themselves. Think about it... But I guess that makes it important, as we need books too!
January 16, 2020
This is a picture book with dark colors and drawings reminiscent of a past time and most colors are brown, black, white, or tan with only the snake being a bright orange. The parents are more of a problem than Duckworth as they ignore him all the way through instead of giving him attention and love. I felt more empathy for Duckworth than his parents.
July 10, 2020
Duckworth tells his parents about the snake in his room, but since he's a "difficult child", they don't believe him. The situation gets worse from there. A silly book with lots of opportunity for snooty voices. Will be a great addition to storytime.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews