The Costume Party

by Victoria Chess

Madame Coco's little family was very, very, bored, and Madame Coco was becoming very, very, annoyed. The family could only go outside for a tiny moment at a time ( we won't tell you what for), and the house seemed very small, and very messy.

Luckily, Madame Coco remembered what she and her cousins used to do when they were little and it rained and rained - they would have a Costume Party! (A perfect way to spend your time when it's raining cats and dogs.)

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dogs

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 4, 2005

About the author

Victoria Chess is an American children's author and illustrator. Born in 1939 in Chicago, and raised in Washington, Connecticut, she studied art at the Kokoschka School of Art in Salzburg, Austria and at the Boston Museum School. She has illustrated more than one hundred books for young people, including Slugs by David Greenberg, Tommy at the Grocery Store by Bill Grossman, and The Scaredy Cats by Barbara Bottner. She lives in Cambridge, MA and the south of France.

Reviews

[Kiah Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book, I felt that it would be a good one for the dramatic play area. The 4 year olds that I read it to at my job were particularly interested in pointing out which costume that they would like to wear. It even inspired their dramatic play later on in the day with them acting out a birthday party. I enjoyed reading this book and would definitely have it in my classroom.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman lives in a house with five dogs.. and over the course of a rainy week they decide to have a costume party. .. the illustrations, although somewhat crude, totally add to the hilarity. (could have done without seeing dog pee though)

I totally LOL-ed like a looney in the quiet library at this one. Can't wait to read it during my "masquerade party" before Halloween.

[skcocnaH · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 0 stars. It’s wrong on so many levels. The main disturbance for me is the insistence on showing the male dog’s testes in as many pictures as possible.

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a woman with five dogs (they look kinda like bull terriers) who are bored because it's been raining so much. So in order to alleviate the tedium, they plan a costume party, replete with games, snacks, and prizes.

The illustrations are rather... explicit, I guess you could say. If you look carefully you will see that all the dogs are anatomically correct. And there's one page where you get to see them peeing and pooing out in the yard. Kinda gross.

[Sara ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book at the library, and since it had FIVE bull terriers on the cover (albeit quite ugly ones), I had to check it out! My husband and I read it to my 6-month-old daughter and our two bull terriers as a bedtime story... haha! :) It was all right.... The story was cute, but the illustrations weren't my favorite by a long shot! It was good for one read though, for sure!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far one of the most underrated illustrators around. Her work is like a plumper, creepier Edward Gorey. How could one be creepier than Edward Gorey? It's in the eyes and the ambivalent smiles of her subjects. Absolutely delicious.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter's favorite book to read while it's raining.

[Zonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rainy day story of 5 dogs and Madame Coco who plan a party to keep them out of trouble.

[Marshmallowlemonade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madame Coco's dogs are driving her crazy. They plan a costume party.