Boy Who Cried Ninja. Alex Latimer (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This is probably now one of my favorite books in the whole world. No joke. It's funny, original, and charming. I loved the creativity, the artwork, and the fun twist. But most of all I loved all of the ways the little boy got in trouble, how crazy is it that a ninja drop kicked a plate of chocolate cake and ate it in one bite?! A sunburnt alligator landing on the roof and breaking the cable antenna? I love how the little boy tried to make it right, and how he found his own solution. His reward was also a kids dream! 100 ice cream cones? Sign me up please! This book made my day and I now smile every time I think about it. Definitely adding this to my personal collection. If you have boys, get this book. If you are a teacher, get this book! Your class will love it and be in stitches! I ordered this book from a school Scholastic newsletter simply because of the funny title. And I LOVED the style of the front cover illustration. When we received the book, we were all delighted with what was inside.A boy named Tim has several encounters with some pretty fantastic, meddlesome, out-of-the-ordinary creatures. The problem is, no one thinks he's telling the truth about what he's seen. Then, the perfect idea hits him. He decides to throw a party to lure all these trouble-makers to his house. In the end, everyone realizes Tim was telling the truth all along and as a reward - his parents promise to buy him a hundred ice creams!I'd love to reveal a couple of the funny characters Tim meets, but that'd ruin the surprises. Well, one of them is a ninja....but you could have guessed that.The text is precise and superb in the beginning as it describes each bizarre thing Tim sees. Then, everything is pulled together so creatively at the end so the reader is thoroughly satisfied. And, longing to read the story again of course!Yes, the writing is outstanding, but for me, the clever art is the star in this book. On the front cover, you can see the ninja and Tim drawn with such a funny, boxy, skinny leg style. That's how all the characters are done. We just love the interesting color palette and the quirky appearance of this book.Definitely recommended for boys but good for girls too - if they'd like funny characters such as a ninja, a pirate, a sun-burned crocodile and a time-travelling monkey. OH! Rats....I gave away some of the surprises. Ah well, you'll still love this book!
What do You think about Boy Who Cried Ninja. Alex Latimer (2011)?
Such a fun read! The value of telling the truth through imagination and ninjas!
—Maryam
I could see this being a big hit at storytime.
—Nick
