Exclamation Mark

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

From the bestselling creators of Duck! Rabbit!, an exciting tale of self-discovery!



A perfect gift for graduation!



He stood out here.



He stood out there.



He tried everything to be more like them.



It's not easy being seen. Especially when you're NOT like everyone else. Especially when what sets you apart is YOU.



Sometimes we squish ourselves to fit in. We shrink. Twist. Bend. Until -- ! -- a friend shows the way to endless possibilities.



In this bold and highly visual book, an emphatic but misplaced exclamation point learns that being different can be very exciting! Period.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Writing, Fiction, Friendship

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was.
She divided her time.


NOT SO SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a person who liked to make things.
Some things she liked to make include:

Children's books. (Little Pea, Spoon, DuckRabbit)
Grown-up books. (Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life)
Short films. (The Beckoning of Lovely, The Money Tree)
Guided journals. (The Belly Book)
Something out of nothing. (see above)

A longtime contributor to WBEZ and to the TED conference,
Amy lived with her family in Chicago and online at whoisamy.com.

Reviews

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all have an inner exclamation mark.
The question is, how to find it...

The shy Exclamation Mark finds it's way and it is proud to be different.
This is a story of fitting in and at the same time standing out.

Excellent book. Although it is written for children, I highly recommend it also for any adult who believes that he/she somehow does not fit with the rest of the crowd.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!!!TASTIC!!!!!

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dear friend who inspired me to go after my dream and become a school librarian gave this book to me as a gift; I found it on my computer in the library on my first day. It's a beautiful allegorical story about standing out and being a leader. I love the book, and its presence at my desk always reminds me of how much I appreciate this friend who has also been my coach and cheerleader.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my goodness! This book! My 6yo picked it out for his Last Day of School Treat, because his kindergarten teacher had read it to them. I had never seen it before. After we bought it, the other kids read it to him, and said it was great, but I didn't pick it up myself until about a month ago, and I am in love! Such a darling way to explain punctuation, and at the same time it has a great message about just being yourself! Love this book!

[Becky Shaknovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very cute and clever. However, just as I have noticed with other Amy Krouse Rosenthal titles, children don't really "get" the humor. With this title in particular, because children are just learning how to read and write, they don't really understand the significance of the question mark, exclamation mark, and period. For that reason, the personifications of these punctuation marks are probably going to go over their heads. Children may still relate to the narrative of not fitting in and then coming into one's own. In this way, Exclamation Mark is kind of a retelling of the Ugly Duckling. Kids may also enjoy shouting things out at the appropriate points in the story.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute and simple book that all ages will love. My not-yet reader liked looking at the story by herself and understanding it through the pictures before I read it. We talked about why the exclamation mark might feel sad being different (shown in facial expressions on the dot at the bottom) from the periods. He tries to fit in and eventually realizes his unique potential.
My older kids really like it and got the humor. "That book is really funny!" said the 9-year-old.

[JoEllen Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Mr. Schu. The amazing AKR- never disappoints. Her simple texts have powerful messages that speak to readers of all ages. This title is another example of a "must have" AKR book. I can not wait for the book to be released!
"We all have an inner Exclamtion mark..."

[Kathryn (Dragon Bite Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the wordplay in this book. I think it might go over the heads of the young children who will be reading it, but it certainly made this English major/grammar fiend giggle, and I think that it will please parents too.

The story itself is a good story to be telling children. It is a story of a punctuation mark who feels like an outsider in a world of periods. He tries to fit in, but he just can't, and that upsets him. Then he meets another outsider: the question mark. The question mark badgers exclamation mark, and exclamation mark tells him to STOP! Question mark likes exclamation marks emphasis and exclamation mark begins to experiment with what he can do. He becomes excited. He goes to show off himself to the periods, who love him as well for what he can do.

In short, this is a story of discovering your own, unique abilities, loving yourself for them, and being loved for them.

With bright colors and simple drawings, it will quickly capture the eye.

I'd also like to take this moment to say that while I appreciate this story, exclamation marks should be used sparingly, particularly outside of dialogue.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The creators of Duck! Rabbit! return with another book filled with bold but simple illustrations. This book is about an exclamation point that is just trying to be like every other very stable period around him. He tries everything to be the same, but it just doesn’t work. He meets a question mark who is also very different, but he’s really bothered by all of her questions. So he yells at her to stop! Then he tries out other exclamations, realizing that he’s suddenly discovered exactly what he’s made for.

An immensely simple book, I really appreciated the occasional zing of puns that kept it from becoming stale. The illustrations are done on lined paper giving the entire book a cheery aspect. The message is not done heavy-handedly, rather it is delivered in a playful and light-hearted way.

This will be welcomed in classrooms as a witty and jolly way to discuss punctuation. Expect the exclamation mark kids in the class to find a kindred spirit! Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exclamation Mark knew from the beginning he was different from the Periods. He tried very hard to act like them, but no matter what, he always stood up. And that of course made him feel worse. But one day he met the talkative Question Mark. He asked so many questions Exclamation Mark felt dizzy. And he needed to SHOUT! At this moment it was clear to him all the potential he had inside. So many "Happy birthday!", "Congratulations!" and "Way to go!" have been trapped in his throat for so long. It felt good to be himself!

! is a funny story about how everyone is different and with different talents, and the importance of knowing ourselves and respect others.

Age range: 4 to 6 years old.

Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I think it's delightful. Actually, I should say, "I think it's delightful!" There's a sad exclamation point, content periods, and a curious question mark and they all work together to figure out where they fit in the grand scheme of things.
There's some fun wordplay and that makes me happy. All the punctuations have cute little faces. It's quick and easy yet joyful.
I would totally read this out loud, especially because I'd get to yell a lot, and really, what's better than yelling while reading stories?

[Jamie Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE!!!!! LOVE!!!! LOVE!!!! This is one of those brilliantly simple books that make you say "YES! FINALLY! A BOOK THAT UNDERSTANDS ME!!!! The plot: ! [exclamation mark] doesn't fit in with all the serious .... [periods] in his/her life. And then one fateful day! She meets! QUESTION MARK????? Who asks a ton of QUESTIONS?????!!!!!! Excellent! Just Excellent!! I would definitely (and will definitely) share this with school-aged kids -- they will enjoy the whole idea of the story, and get the joke. A fun read!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the sweetest allegorical books you'll ever read, as well as a darn clever story.

Recommend to teachers in grades 2-8 for a brush-up on punctuation that brings a smile to your face. Kids even younger (and adults of all ages) who stand out in the crowd will enjoy it immensely.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal has long been one of my favorite authors, and this book cements her top-tier standing in my book. Read this, then go find as many of ther other books as you can. You'll be glad you did.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such fun, such great design and word play. I love that its accessible to young kids just figuring out reading and punctuation - but also fun for older kids who love puns.

[Rossy · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Argh. I tried to edit my review from my mobile app, and clicked on the check mark and *BOOM*! The damn thing was gone.

Here we go again, in brief:

Awesome book - exclamation points are my favorite, and this book totally does them justice. It is very short, but just right. My group gained real insight from the words and images drawn - they exactly demonstrated what an exclamation mark is. . .to a group who weren't completely clear about it.

It was especially fun to switch it up - instead of me reading, to have my group read it to me - in this case one of them who missed out came over and read it to me and that was very sweet.

Happy reading - Out Loud!!!

[Anastasia Hutson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exclamation Mark
Review by Anastasia Hutson
The book begins with an exclamation point surrounded by numerous period points. From the start this exclamation point new he was different, he tried everything he could to fit in with everyone else but nothing worked. He just wasn’t like the others. So he ran away, one day he bumps into a question mark. From there the questions go on and on about who he is and what he likes to do. The exclamation point couldn’t take it anymore and exclaims, “Stop!” with all his might. Appalled by his own power he tries it again and again, becoming more confident in himself each time. He felt free and happy!
I really appreciated this book because it gives a good lesson to the readers to be confident in who they are. A lot of kids at young ages want to fit in with everyone around them and feel the pressure to do that and I think this book shows that it’s okay to be yourself and everyone is unique in their own way. People should embrace who they are. Since this is a book about punctuation there are a few puns involved. Towards the end of the book when he finally find himself it says, “It was like he broke free from a life sentence”, this plays off of the fact that he had felt bound his whole life by conforming to others and the fact that exclamation points go at the end of actual sentences, so that was a play on words. In the text there also a distinct difference between the narration and the dialogue between characters based on the text and font used. For the narration there was a larger font written in Brandon Grotesque and the dialogue was written in a smaller font named Mrs. Eaves to distinguish the difference between the feelings and story of the character and the actual dialogue exchanged.
Although he was just an exclamation point I would consider him a dynamic character because he evolves over the course of the story and has a breakthrough within himself. He would also be considered the round character of the story because we follow his internal struggles throughout the story and see who he is and his personality. The illustration of the book was very simple but the body language and facial expressions of the characters could help the audience connect to the story through emotions. I also thought it was cute that the paper looked like lined paper that children learn to write their alphabet on and the writing and characters were placed within those line. I think this was a good technic to also teach the kids how they are supposed to write, this was a useful tool. I believe that this book helps kids connect their writing experience with an actual story and teaches them a valuable lesson about embracing their uniqueness.

[Brian Rock · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world of periods, exclamation mark really stood out.

And he didn’t like it one bit. He felt confused and befuddled. He didn’t fit in and he wasn’t sure how he could. Then one day he found the answers he sought from a new friend – question mark. She helped him find his purpose in life and he was free to express himself with gusto!

With sparse text and simple black and white line art (so simple I’m guessing at the gender of exclamation mark and question mark), Amy and Tom deliver a clever story of the universal need to fit in. The characters in this story (exclamation mark, question mark and a supporting cast of periods) act out their story against a background of double lined composition paper.

The layout is instantly recognizable to all K-2 students. The emotions and message of the story; however, have a far broader appeal. The feelings of loneliness, self-doubt and confusion are cleverly conveyed by exclamation mark’s withered and contorted “stem.” The exuberance he feels at discovering himself are conveyed by a strong, bold “stem” and changes in the text’s size and color.

But the key to the story is how he moves from self-pity to self-awareness. Question mark is the perfect metaphor for making this transition in our lives. Sometimes all we really need to find the answer is the right question, and perhaps a friendly push in the right direction. With Exclamation Mark, Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Licthenheld prove they truly have a flair for the grammatic!

(From JenningsWire: http://anniejenningspr.com/jenningswi...

[Esperanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Exclamation Mark is a book about an exclamation mark. He feels as though he does not fit in with all the periods, then a question mark comes along and asks many questions. Exclamation Mark is annoyed by this, so he yells and unlocks his true potential.

I was drawn to this book because it looked very unique. When I picked it up, I flipped through the pages and was intrigued by the illustration.

The plot of this book is a lost exclamation mark who sticks out and just wants to fit in. Because this book is about different punctuation marks, the setting is a piece of paper. This was very clever of the illustrator to do, because it gives children a better understanding of where they would see the different punctuation marks.

The illustration of this book is simple but effective. As I said earlier, it takes place on a piece of notebook paper. Everything on the first few pages are black and white, but later on, the words Exclamation Point says are in color and are much bigger than the other text on the pages. Another thing the illustrator did to give the punctuation marks more human characteristics was give them faces, and they all, especially Exclamation Mark, make different facial expressions to show how they are feeling. I really enjoyed the illustration in this book.

Overall I enjoyed everything about this book. I thought the plot was great, I loved the illustration, and the characters were very cute. This is a great children’s book that I could definitely see myself reading to my future class.

[Remi Thorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exclamation Mark is a book written by Amy Krouse and Tom Lichtenheld, this book has an underlying meaning of just because you’re not like everybody around you doesn’t mean you’re not something great. We’re all here to put our stamp on the world. It starts of with an exclamation mark in a world of periods, he was sad, hurting and in the dumps because he just couldn’t fit in no matter how hard he tried. One day he met a question mark –who definitely knew his job, questioning everything from ice cream to gravity. The question mark helped the exclamation mark find his place in the world –which made him feel like he belonged. In this book it also showed that the greatest conflict you face is yourself, and once you overcome it you can become something great. The point of view of this book is very up-close and personal with a piece of lined paper (the kind I used in k-3rdish grade), when you’re brought so closely into the paper it almost makes you feel as if you are a punctuation mark as well, bringing you into the book. The typography in this book helps bring the feelings of the exclamation mark to life, when the words around him change color, size or shape it make the words seem like more than they actually are. This book relies a lot on typography because it is a book about punctuation, inside of all the periods, exclamation and question marks is a little face which makes the feelings of the punctuations so much easier to tell how they’re feeling.

[Carson Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many children struggle with finding themselves and learning how to fit in as well as being proud to stand out. This book does a wonderful job at addressing these issues with children in a creative way. In the beginning the ! stands out among all of the other punctuation no matter how hard he tries to fit in. Then he runs into a ? who frustrates him enough to yell "STOP!" That is when he truly finds himself, regardless of the fact that he is different. The other punctuation marks are all accepting of him and are glad that he is finally happy!

I love using this book at the beginning of the year to help build a community in my classroom. It provides a lot of good talking points and conversation starters with students about how to be a friend, accept yourself, and be supportive of one another. You can also use it to integrate into writing when introducing or reviewing punctuation when you write (or read).

This is a WOW book for me because it takes you by surprise. I was not expecting to be emotionally involved in such a short story. I think the author does a great job at making the ! easy to relate to and really tells a story.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosenthal and Lichtenheld have created another winner with Exclamation Mark. Books that address the subject of "fitting in" are popular and it isn't easy to emerge from the pack, but this book does. Exclamation Mark is used to hanging out with periods and although he looks a little bit like them, he doesn't really fit in and he considers his options. When he meets a funny looking mark that can't stop asking questions, Exclamation Mark finally finds his identity and his voice grows strong and clear as the pages fill up with all the new things he discovers he can do! The pictures are superb and the variety of typefaces is a good way to separate the narration from the dialogue and which characters are talking. I appreciated the background of lined paper since we are dealing with punctuation marks and writing. Children will love this book as a read-aloud but some of the words might be too hard for beginning readers to enjoy on their own. However, the book is so fun that I'm sure children will enjoy trying to read it.

[Jason Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable picture book about an exclamation mark that feels like he doesn't belong amongst his period friends. It's not until he meets the chatty question mark that he realizes his true strengths (in yelling) and regains his pride.

The art is endearly simple and fits well with the brief simple story. This is a quick book that can easily be read to a young age group.

FYI: There is a small, cute scene at the every end that many many miss if they do not read past the copyright material. It marks the character exclamation point much more endearing as he's somewhat of a jerk for yelling at Question Mark (although that was the whole point of the story I suppose, so we won't hold it against him).


Topics:

Feeling left out
Grammer/punctuation

[Yumi Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very simply illustrated story about an exclamation mark who just wants to fit in. With the help of another piece of punctuation, he learns that the things that make us different are the things that make us special.

I really loved the message in this book, that it is okay to be different, and that standing out isn't necessarily a bad thing. The clever word play makes it fun to read out loud (again and again), and the book's pacing combined with the illustrations make it captivating for pre-schoolers.

This is a great book for reading out loud with young children and early readers. (My son actually learned what punctuation is from this book.) It would also make a great graduation gift for a high school or university student.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exclamation mark stood out from everyone else. He was just different, period. He felt all alone until he met question mark, and her constant queries led him to discover his talent--exclaiming!

As we have come to expect from the fabulous team of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, this book is a true winner. The text is clever, the illustrations (on elementary-style lined paper, no less) are expressive. Any classroom learning about the exclamation mark or punctuation in general will want to take the time to read this brief picture book. I believe kids will remember the job of the exclamation mark better if they are introduced to it through this book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world of periods, the exclamation point stands out--and deservedly so! Despite his best efforts to fit in and conform with those around him, he just can't be like everyone else. When he meets an annoying question mark filled with plenty of questions, he is finally able to get in touch with his true nature. As is usual with this talented, witty team, the book is filled with clever word play and visual puns. The background employing the exact type of paper employed by students learning to write the letters of the alphabet is a clever touch that fits well with the simple ink drawings. Five exclamation marks for this one!!!!!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I like to be like others. I also enjoyed this book because I liked the part when Exclamation Mark made friends with Question Mark.

[Rose Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short picture book about an exclamation mark who couldn’t understand why he looked different from his period friends. With all his effort, he tried arranging himself in different sequences but he still stood out. He turned, squished himself, twisted up but that didn't work either. He became confused and felt misplaced until one day he meets an overly friendly question mark that helps him understand what he is capable of. This tale has a simple story line that goes along with its bold yet clever illustrations. The book is short with only a few words on each page.

I was drawn towards this book due to the fact that I loved Red: A Crayon's Story, and the life lessons the book portrayed. Once I saw this book had a similar underlying message, I had to read it. However, I wasn’t as impressed as I was hoping. Although there messages were generally the same, in the aspect of ‘everyone is different (or has different talents) don’t be afraid to be proud of who you are.’ I personally liked the crayons ‘story line’ a little better. I will say though, the play on words in Exclamation Mark was great! Most children would not understand the humor that goes along with it, but I like how children's books and movies have humor intertwined that's aimed more for the adults watching/reading.

For my first visual element I chose vectors. Exclamation mark draws your attention to each page due to the fact that he is different from the periods because he has a line above his head. Each time you flip the page, the reader’s eyes follow exclamation mark as he tries to form his body into something that just isn't possible for him. For my second visual image, I chose colour. For the most part the illustrations were black and white with slim elegant font, meaning detachment, seriousness and nostalgia. It wasn’t until after the climax did the lettering get bigger, brighter and more colorful. He became overly excited once he figured out what his talent/ meaning in life was. The color of The lettering I believe shows exclamation marks mood due to the fact that the font went from black to red, orange, green, purple and blue which all resembles dignity, intelligence, warmth, strength of personality growth, cheerful etc. The color of the book is also yellow meaning happiness, cheerfulness. These elements work together in a way to provide enough visual clues in the illustrations for the reader to be able to analyse the colors, font, and style; to interpret the different moods of exclamation mark.

[Kailyn Gilliam]

In the illustrations of this book Exclamation Mark tries to make himself like the others, yet he is always different. No matter how hard he tries, he always stood out. Yet, in the end, he finds the excitement in being different. For teaching voice, students tend to compare the way the write to other students - when they must understand that their voice should be reflective of them as a person, making it distinct and one-of-a-kind. By using this silly, funny, and goofy picture to illustrate the major need for distinct voice, I hope it will influence students to stop mimicking the sounds of others, like Harold the parrot, and making their work be as individualistic as they themselves are.

By teaching this in the classroom, I would pair it with Spandel's trait of voice allowing students to understand how voice in writing is dependent on how they add their own personality to the way they write that is character to their being. In addition, I would teach the message of this book with Harold Finds a Voice, just in their similar thematic structure.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wtf? Why all the high ratings?? Did we really need another book about someone who feels different needing to realize that different is good? (Um, no, what we really need is a book that tells normal kids that normal is not boring but is also good.) Do we really need another book that anthropomorphizes a symbol? (Um, no, given all the creative alphabet, counting, color, and meta books out there, I say this fashion has run its course.) Do we really need another book that's all 'look how clever I am with my deceptively simple art & in-your-face concept' - ? (Um, no, we need more books that have so much heart and depth that they're worth buying & reading & savoring over & over again.)