Wake Me Up in 20 Coconuts!

by Laurie Keller

An irresistible laugh-out-loud picture book about the importance of asking questions, by bestselling creator Laurie Keller. 

The helpful KNOW-IT-ALL in apartment 2C can answer any question. He's such a wealth of information, and all his neighbors depend on him. But one day he is asked a question that he just doesn't understand. How can 2C help his neighbor and also protect his smarty-pants reputation if he doesn't know what the question means? 

This clever story reinforces that it's okay—in fact, it's actually a very good thing—to say “I don't know.” Asking questions leads to discovery, understanding, and insight. In her signature humorous and imaginative style, Laurie Keller takes the embarrassment out of admitting that you don't know something and proves how helpful it can be! 

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Childrens, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 20, 2022

About the author

Laurie Keller grew up in Muskegon, Michigan. She always loved to draw, paint and write stories. She spent much of her time performing in a local dance tour company and dancing in and choreographing some civic theatre shows.
She graduated several years later with a BFA in Illustration. She also got a job as a greeting card illustrator at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri. She is the author and illustrator of many children's books.

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has an obvious and deliberate message to impart, which normally puts me off a book. But it isn't a moral precept sugar-coated with story. This is as obvious as a board book of opposites. Not knowing something that everyone else clearly does was the terror of a kid moving around a lot and attending many different schools. These days asking what the hell someone is going in about is stress-free. One of the unspoken delights of marriage is not having to know everything: half is enough to make a good trivia team.

Keller is fabulous. There is so much going on, close examination is rewarded. There is a note about the art and design (house of font nerds). There's a song of praise to the editor, with the facing page offering tidbits of context on the dedicated, copywrite, and Patti Labelle. The last page has a note from brain's, and there's a good bio on the back flap, as well as an explanation of the UPC on the back. There is a cameo of a donut for fans.

Library copy

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, entertaining, and engaging story about learning to admit that you don't know something and need to learn. Only Laurie Keller could make this lesson laugh-out-loud funny. Though my son did comment on the fact that saying 'I don't know' is a fixed mindset (something he's learning about it school) so he needed a bit more explanation that it's 'I don't know and I need to learn'. But overall we both very much enjoyed the book.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courage is the new word of the month at my school. This would be a great book to visit. The kids already know Arnie, the 🍩 . They would get a kick out of finding him and other #eastereggs here. But the theme is about having the courage to say, "I don't know." The 🐔 made me laugh. This book is 🍌!

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big colorful characters all identified by their apartment room numbers. The story is kind of wacky but with a lesson about not being afraid to admit you don’t know something. There is an element of oddball, tangential humor as well.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apartment 2B has a problem - they are going to take a nap but their alarm clock is broken. So they ask their neighbor in 2C to wake them up in 20 coconuts. Just between you and me, 2C is a bit of a know-it-all. So they are extremely embarrassed to realize they have no clue what 20 coconuts means! When they discover a sock and a chicken in their ear, they think they merely misunderstood but alas, that is not the problem. 2C finally admits they don't know what 20 coconuts means - and just in time, too!
There is a lot to love about this book. It promotes learning and also that it is OK to admit when you don't know something, which is a very important skill to learn and reinforce. The cover of the book under the dust jacket is different so be sure and take a peek under the cover! And look at all the fun illustrations that have been thrown into the book also!
Since the book takes place in an apartment building, this might be a fun book to pair with Anne Wynter & Oge More's Everybody in the Red Brick Building.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this one out after reading reviews because I happen to live with a small perfectionist know-it-all, and I thought this might be a sly way to help counter that behavior. He did shoot me the side-eye once or twice during the story, but it also made him laugh. The illustrations and zany humor are classic Laurie Keller, lots of dialogue bubbles and opportunity to do silly voices. I appreciated the message: just because you don't know something, doesn't mean you're not smart! Brains grow and learn new things by not-knowing and then finding out.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable book will never tell you how long 20 coconuts is, but it will entertain you as the unfortunate hero tries to figure out how long 20 coconuts is, and why everyone else knows what it is, except for him. A neighbor asked to be woken up in 20 coconuts. Will the hero be able to wake up the neighbor at the correct time? A silly book with the message that it is okay not to know everything, and to ask if you don't know.

[Nanci · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had too many things going on and made very little sense. I get the point of it but it was not a fun book for me to read. Maybe an older elementary school child would like it. Perhaps it was an introduction to graphic novels, which I admit is not something I enjoy. It was very silly but not fun silly for me. All of that just to show that it is okay to say you don't know something and ask the meaning instead of worrying about it. Too much going on on each page for my taste.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of books with a message, but I dug this one. From the apartment complex folks' silly Q&A regarding the copyright page to the last page of disembodied brains encouraging us to admit to not knowing and to ask questions (it shows you are confident and have a brain that is curious for more learning), I found the whole thing delightful. Thank you.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book demands you spend time with it...around 20 coconuts' worth (!) ...because it is so full of fun art, characters, and little extra storylines. It's brilliant in that way. And the punchline is perfect!

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I like the idea of encouraging kids to be okay with saying "I don't know," this book was just too silly. I would have given it three stars, but why call the characters by their apartment number instead of names? It was confusing and unnecessary-- hence the additional star knocked off.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The “no shame in not knowing something” lesson is taken to the next level of fun with Laurie Keller. Favorite part: conversation bubbles on the opposite page from the verso explaining all the info there, including a cameo appearance by Arnie the Donut!

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always telling my students that they have a fantastic, elastic brain (which I got from another book); so I like that this books puts some humor on a topic I raise all the time to encourage young readers to satisfy their curiosity through daily reading.

[Gillian French · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys love Laurie Kelley’s books—and so do I!—and Wake Me Up in 20 Coconuts really delivered. All those delightful funny asides that Laurie includes make for a great family read aloud, and the message of communication and working to understand one another came through loud and clear.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure silliness tells a story of being brave enough to say “I don’t know”. Always love Laurie Keller’s humor. I spied one of my all time favorite characters of hers, Arnie the Doughnut, in the book too!

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book's message that "it's ok to admit when you don't know something" is a good one. A fun idea for a picture book, but my daughter found the layout confusing. Several pages were formatted in a way that she didn't know what order to read the text blurbs.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly story with an important message about being ok with admitting you don’t know something.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sheer brilliance of Laurie Keller on full display. Will require multiple readings to be grasp all of the details and jokes and dialogues. Wonderful.

[Darshana Khiani · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this book! So funny.
Love all the jokes!
Perfect marriage of story and art, great combination.
With a universal theme as well.

[Kelly]

I think there was actually too much going on, or maybe I'm not a fan of speech bubbles. But the story was funny and original.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 2 out of 5]

wasn't my favorite

[Sandra]

Haha, this was a fun book. We’ll need to find some more from this author now.

[Sandra Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's definitely ok to not know everything!
The book is silly and draws readers in. Some pages require adult interpretations.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's the secret to counting time by coconuts? Read to find out :)

[Y.Poston]

a delightful exploration of "I-don't-know"

[Erin]

I was not in the mood for this, unfortunately. I think if I had more time to sit with it I might have liked it more. I found it too chaotic.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly funny, but kind of an odd roundabout way to say it's OK to say I don't know.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and teaches kids it's OK to admit to not knowing something...but just not my cup of tea.

Themes: numbers, humor
Ages: 2-3rd grade
Pub year: 2022

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I liked where he was confused and I was laughing a lot. I liked the chicken and I couldn’t stop laughing.” - Lucas

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a darling and humorous book. This would be great for discussing growth mindset and being a complex thinker and problem solver.