Ice Cream Larry

Larry the Polar Bear #4

by Daniel Pinkwater, Jill Pinkwater (Illustrator)

After he eats an eighth of a ton of ice cream at Cohen's Cones, Larry the polar bear happily becomes the spokesbear for the Iceberg Ice-Cream Company under the slogan, "I do not feel sick."

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larry's shenanigans at the local ice cream shop lead him to unexpected celebrity in this fourth book about the adventures of the lifeguard polar bear of Bayonne, New Jersey. When our ursine hero eats 250 pounds of ice cream at Cohen's Cones, the resultant publicity leads to a partnership with the Iceberg Ice Cream company, and the development of the "Larry Bar."

With all the hilarious dialogue and droll artwork for which this series is known, Ice Cream Larry should delight the Pinkwaters' many fans. I myself was thrilled to see a few Melville references here, from Larry carrying a copy of Moby-Dick around with him, to his answering Mildred's requests with an "I would prefer not to." A humorous children's book which quotes Bartleby the Scrivener ? It doesn't get any better than that!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Either you like Pinkwater's polar bears or you don't. If you do, I hope you've found a copy of this one. Just a thought though... maybe I don't understand marketing, but shouldn't the new flavors include bluebeary instead of blueberry, and strawbeary instead of strawberry?

[Phil J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite Larry book so far. There are lots of inside jokes and callbacks to the earlier books and the usual dry humor.

I really enjoy Jill's polar bear illustrations. They refuse to stay in their designated spaces, and legs trail down the side of the page or poke into the text. All the compositions have an interesting, quirky use of space and perspective. So much fun.

[elstaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pull quote/note
"'It is my honor to own the Iceberg Ice-Cream Company, of Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1851. You may know our slogan, "Iceberg! Iceberg! We all scream for Iceberg!"'
'I'm not sure I understand it,' Larry said.
'No,' Mr. Berg said. "No one seems to."
'Still, it's a catchy slogan,' my father said."

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

After he eats 1/8 of a ton of ice cream at Cohen’s Cones, Larry, the polar bear, happily becomes the spokes bear for the Iceberg Ice Cream Company under the slogan “I do not feel sick.”

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinkwater's books are so random and all over the place. It jumps from one scenario to the next quickly. But a cute book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I should've gotten the original Larry book before this one to see the background of how Larry the Polar Bear came to live with the family. My 5 y/o son however thought this one was funny enough to warrant telling me that I *had* to read it as "my bedtime story" after he'd read it with my husband for his bedtime story. That's pretty high praise in my book. Of course he's an ice-cream fiend too.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny idea of a polar bear becoming a spokesman for an ice cream company. And I really like Larry. But I think some of the humor or concepts might be a bit on the old-fashioned side for today's group of kids. At least, the humor could be conveyed in a one-on-one reading, but in a storytime it might go over their heads...and stay over. Works well with the Sweet Treats theme, though.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

he's so funny! love the dry humor.

[Maddie Jaques · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. As far as children's books about ice cream go, this was not my favorite.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read. The boys and I have been chuckling and saying to one another, "I do not feel sick."