Two boys decide to dig a hole until they find something spectacular. Their wise dog accompanies them as they dig and dig, yet somehow managing to avoid finding several spectacular diamonds, much to the astonishment of the dog who can clearly see what they are missing. And eventually they do find something spectacular. They find their home where chocolate milk and animal crackers await them.
Whoever reads this book aloud to kids will find the contrast of the dryly humorous text versus the illustrations to be truly funny.
That is probably why this New York Times bestseller won an E.B White Read Aloud Award. Suitable for kids age 3 to 7. You might have to point to the illustrations to have the 3 year old see the humor but a 7 year old will easily get the jokes hidden in the illustrations.
The writer, Mac Barnett, lives in California. Jon Klassen, the illustrator, is from Niagara Falls Ontario but now lives in Los Angeles, where, no doubt plenty of funny things inspire him. The book’s illustrations are spare, one might think they are simplistic, but they are clear, effective and very funny.
You can buy this book from Candlewick Press or Amazon or wherever great books are sold. And you can find more of my book reviews on youtube at Great Books for Kids Reviewed by Michelle Marcotte