Bright Horizons Book Review: Imagination, determination, and pure spontaneity fill the pages of Karen Beaumont’s latest raucous creation. Distraught at paint on the ceiling, walls, curtains, and doors, a youngster’s mama declares that he “ain’t gonna paint no more.” After popping him into the bathtub, she hoists the tray of paints onto the top shelf of the closet. But the boy soon reclaims the tools of his self-expression and begins: “So I take some red and I paint my HEAD! Now I ain’t gonna paint no more. Aw, what the heck! Gonna paint my NECK! Now I ain’t gonna paint no more.” Catrow’s exuberant colors are splashed on every page to great effect and will engage anyone who shares a love for art and the joys of childhood! Ages 3-7.

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Product Description

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24014 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2–When Mama catches her son "paintin' pictures on the floor/and the ceiling/and the walls/and the curtains/and the door," she sticks him in the tub and declares, "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!" Fresh from his bath, the child rescues his hidden supplies and says, "So I take some red/and I paint my…/HEAD!" Subsequent rhymes move from neck down to feet as he adds gobs of color to different areas. Since the last word of each verse comes on the following page, readers get the satisfaction of completing the anticipated rhyme and seeing each newly painted body part with each page turn. Catrow splashes color all over, uses white space cleverly, and includes playful flourishes, such as a marching row of ants on the boy's arm and Easter egg designs on his leg. Elongated figures and exaggerated expressions match the silly tone of the story, and the concerned dog who observes the antics is particularly amusing. With rhymes that invite audience participation and scenes that draw the eye, this is a strong storytime choice. Based on the song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," the rhythmic text can be read or sung with equal effectiveness. In a mischievous conclusion, when readers think that the boy has painted everything, he finishes with, "But I'm such a nut,/gonna paint my–/WHAT?!" Fortunately, he's out of supplies and winds up back in the bathtub.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Now I ask you very confidentially, ain't it sweet?
Some folks think too small. If you're going to create a book in which a kid systematically paints every thing around him (living, inanimate, you name it) then you need a certain amount of pizzaz. A bit of whoopsie. A smidgen of hootenanny (recipe: a little bit of hoot, a whole lot of nanny). So let's take "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More". Author Karen Beaumont has rewritten that familiar old folksy ballad "Oh It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" and has reconfigured it into a wild whoopsy-laden affair involving paint here, paint there, and paint just about everywhere. Add into the mix the child-friendly anarchy of David Catrow and you've got yerself a book so jumpety and pleased with itself that anyone who dares criticize the poor grammar in the title should truly hang their heads in shame. Consarn it!

The endpapers of this book are splattered in a couple coats of multi-colored goo. Fitting then that the first two-page spread shows our hero sitting behind a curtain with a tell-tale brush and pallet lying not too far away. His mother, colorless save a flush of blush at her cheeks and lips, views the room askance. Turn the page and her words are crystal clear. "YA AIN'T A-GONNA PAINT NO MORE!". The boy sits in a paint splattered tub, his arms crossed in thinly disguised fury. Across from him his dog sits patiently, regarding him. With that, mama has taken all the paints and storied them nice and neat on the topmost shelf of the hallway closet. Little does she know that her son has seen the hiding place, and a few well-placed hatboxes and bowling balls later, the set is back in his hands. The house is now all black and white, but you get the feeling that this is just the calm before the storm. The boy kneels reverently in front of his first can of paint. Say the words, "So I take some red and I paint my... HEAD!", and suddenly we've the exact same picture as that on the cover of the book except now the page is awash in reds, pinks, and some vibrant oranges. "Aw, what the heck! Gonna paint my... NECK!". Green with darker green triangles. The kid is nothing if not creative. The farther you go the more body parts are covered by the child until at last he says, "But I'm such a nut, gonna paint my-". Hold your fears, gentle parents. Mama has interrupted his excesses at last. So it's back into the tub he goes, arms crossed again, and a washcloth over his face.

As a children's librarian I'm slow to embrace new readaloud picture books. If "Bark, George" isn't around then "Duck On a Bike" will be and I don't need anything else (harumph harump). This book, however, is a storytime dream come true. Can't sing the book cause you're tone deaf? Try chanting it ala Rex Harrison. Better still, you can really get the kids involved in the book if they're old enough for it. Have them guess which body part is next on the agenda. By the time you almost get to the painted butt (which is seen but not colorized) the kids will be dying with laughter. It's a cheap joke, but sometimes the cheapies are the best.

And then there's the colors. My goodness me this looks like an explosion in a rainbow somewhere. Catrow has never been given as much leverage as he has here to go completely wild and crazy. I can't imagine another children's illustrator who could compare to him in terms of total excess and enjoyment. If anyone, maybe Stephen Gammell could have reached Catrow's heights. Maybe. Not necessarily. The book is awash in enough splotches and splatters to hypnotize even the dullest of children. Add in the catchy lyrics and what you have, my friend, is a book fit for the ages.

If you feel like pairing this with another catchy picture book extravaganza, try bringing this to a storytime alongside Jim Aylesworth's, "Old Black Fly". The books have a similar tone and painterly style to them, and both make ideal songs for either singing or chanting. Otherwise, "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More" stands alone in its excellence. A necessity for any library collection and a great gift for each and every little one on your shopping list.

A delight
With stimulating colorful pictures, humor, and even a touch of poetry, can anyone wonder why my 3 1/2 year old daughter loves this book? The painted art gives us a great deal to talk about at bedtime and the comic imagery provokes more than just a few laughs. While the tale seems straight forward enough -- a mischievous boy who paints himself (and his dog!) there is far more going on here. Like the best of children's literature, "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More" operates on several levels so that there is always more to look at every time my child takes it from the shelf. In short, a real winner.

Dangerous in the best possible way
This book is dangerous in the best possible way, and my 23 mo daughter latched on immediately. By 'dangerous', I mean celebrating rebellion, and if you have a problem with that, knock off a star. There are so many dimensions to the book, I easily understand why it it so compelling. The use of color, and lack thereof, is well done. The colors, shapes, and images invite discussion. The storyline, top to bottom (both figuratively and literally), is logical, with a delayed-gratification (page turn required) rhyming scheme. Highly recommended.

A final note: I can't help but wonder if the artist has been inspired by Ralph Steadman.