June 22 at Chaucer's Books!

I will be doing an early pajama story time at Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara on Monday June 22 from 4 to 6 pm.

Hope to see you there!

p.s. Skateboard Cow is hoping to make an appearance, too!

Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara

Kirkus review

Yay!

My first review for A CRAZY DAY AT THE CRITTER CAFE is a nice one from Kirkus!



Odanaka, Barbara
A CRAZY DAY AT THE CRITTER CAFÉ
Illus. by Lee White

Havoc erupts in high-spirited fashion when the animals’ bus breaks down outside the local restaurant. In lively rhyme, raccoons lead the boisterous menagerie into the cozy café. Unfortunately for the chef and waiter, manners are lacking as the animals descend en masse. The cow skateboards down the stairs, the elephant band stomps in with tubas and the ostrich squawks for cherry strudel. The waiter’s spill sets off a disastrous chain reaction, causing the server to sneeze peas from his nose. When the critters are removed for their shenanigans, the staff rejoices until a dazed bovine emerges from the mess. The rhythmic phrases combine creative wordplay and natural pacing. Changing fonts emphasize the dramatic images. While never cluttered, White’s vibrant art conveys the disheveled environment. Muted, colorful backgrounds support the fluid mixed-media characters. Colorful splotches reinforce the sloppy surroundings; messy tables and flying food add amusing details. There are not too many cooks in this kitchen, as high-interest humor creates a rollicking read-aloud. (Picture book. 4-8)

A CRAZY DAY AT THE CRITTER CAFE!

Barb Odanaka's third children's book, A CRAZY DAY AT THE CRITTER CAFE is due out June 9, 2009. This rhyming, rollicking tale is illustrated by Lee White and published by Simon & Schuster's Margaret K. McElderry Books.

The book stars SKATEBOARD COW, who gets herself into quite a mess...until she comes up with a most excellent idea at story's end! Odanaka, a longtime skateboarder, donned a cow costume to celebrate the book's upcoming publication--see photos below!

You can pre-order this book now via your Independent Bookseller, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.com.

Stay tuned for reviews, book tour dates, and more!