Product Description

"I'm too fast, you're too slow. Pan, pan, patty-cake pan, I can get away from you, I can!"

The much-loved story of the Runaway Pancake who pops out of the oven and is sure he can escape all who want to eat him, is given a new spin when Marsupial Sue and her friends put on a play version for their neighborhood. This has all of the wit and whimsy of Marsupial Sue and again features lively illustrations by Jack E. Davis. From the friends' preparations behind the scenes to the actors' final bows, readers will be inspired by the production. A CD recording of John Lithgow's live performance of the song "The Runaway Pancake" is also included.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80387 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780689878473
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–Marsupial Sue and her friends are presenting their version of The Gingerbread Man. Sue has the role of Auntie May, who cooks a pancake in the oven. As soon as it is done, it jumps out of the pan and rolls away, singing as it goes. It meets a variety of animals until it is finally outsmarted by a fox. Because the story is set as a play, Davis has the challenge of depicting animals dressed as other creatures. Some of them are hard to decipher and could be confusing to children. Also confusing is the fact that as the play begins, the colored-pencil, acrylic, dye, and ink illustrations depict a stage with an audience, but as it progresses, the setting changes to the countryside. The text is printed on top of the bright, full-page cartoon art, an effect that is busy but readable. The book reads like a transcript of a storyteller's performance and follows closely Lithgow's own words on the accompanying CD. His performance is animated and highly entertaining. Almost as delightful are the background comments by the young live audience. Despite the shortcomings of the book, the CD is worth the purchase price. Note, however, that Marsupial Sue is never mentioned by name; she is simply Auntie May, which may disappoint readers expecting her to have a bigger role in the book.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
K-Gr. 2. Leave it to Marsupial Sue to put a funny spin on the familiar story The Runaway Pancake by presenting it as a play for the neighborhood and casting her Aussie animal friends as characters. Davis' lively cartoons embellish the fun. Costumes and clever details are tucked into every scene: assorted cleaning brushes become tails and hair; gardening tools become claws; insects play bit parts. Kids who enjoyed Marsupial Sue's debut (Marsupial Sue, 2001) will giggle and applaud this encore, even though the rhyme doesn't always roll easily off the tongue and the wacky illustrations are so frenzied at times, it's a little hard to sort out the action. John Lithgow hams it up wonderfully on the accompanying CD. Julie Cummins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

We just LOVE Marsupial Sue!
When I learned there was a new "Marsupial Sue" book out I knew I had to get it for my daughter's fourth birthday. The original "Marsupial Sue" is now tattered and taped from many fun-filled readings. After perusing the reviews I was hesitant to order the book because the critics thought it might be confusing for small children. Not so! My kids (2.5 and 4) are asking to read it over and over. They are not confused at all about the characters' costumes and they picked up on the rhyme immediately. We're now laughing about the costumes the animals put together and singing "No No No No No" joyously! Thanks Mr. Lithgow for more great memories.

Another rollicking fun read by John Lithgow!
John Lithgow's books for children are fun, entertaining reads! Books that can not only be enjoyed by children, but adults as well, and that's saying a lot.In "Marsupial Sue Presents the Runaway Pancake", the accompanying CD contains a live performance by John Lithgow, narrating [not word for word, but he adds a lot of humor to the story] and performing the song of the runaway pancake. This is such a wonderful book and CD combo that had my 3.5 year-old daughter laughing with glee and tapping her feet as she sang along to the CD.

I have read most of Lithgow's books for children and reviewed them, and I find they are excellent tools for promoting early literacy skills - the rhyming text and accompanying CD together with the humorous illustrations provide ample opportunity for sing-alongs, read-aloud, and active discussion of the themes in the books. Highly recommended!

Wonderful Fun!
My five year old daughter and I read this book three times together this morning. Then, we listened to the CD five times together, then she listened to it three times more!!!! This is a wonderfully entertaining and funny story. My little girl has been running around singing the song all morning!
Thanks John Lithgow, for using your talent to entertain families!