The Horrendous Hullabaloo (Picture Puffins) - Softcover

The illustrator of Mahy's 17 Kings and 42 Elephants (1987) joins the author for another ebullient story. Peregrine, a pirate, depends on an accommodating aunt who not only keeps his house but pours his rum and pets his parrot. Peregrine goes to parties but never invites his aunt (``You wouldn't enjoy pirate parties...The hullabaloo is horrendous!''). Undeterred, she mixes up a batch of ``rumblebumpkins'' and sends out invitations. Her friends don't come (it's a pirate's house, after all), but the parrots do, which attracts the neighbors; after a grand hullabaloo, his aunt leaves the mess to Peregrine and sails away on his ship with the parrots. The wordplay here is delightfully perky (lots of the words start with ``p''); the subtext, also typical Mahy, is witty, wise, and a bit wicked. McCarthy's batik- style, white-bordered art glows appropriately with the bright colors of the sea and of tropical birds. An entertaining tale, perfect for sharing. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

PW enjoyed both text ("spiced with alliterative amusements") and art ("brilliantly colored batik paintings [that] celebrate... joyful noise") in this larky tale of a young pirate, his aunt and his parrot. Ages 3-8.-- celebrate... joyful noise") in this larky tale of a young pirate, his aunt and his parrot. Ages 3-8.
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