Product Description

Category: FeelingsSometimes, Katie loses her temper.Sometimes she uses her feet and her fists instead of words. When Katie is this mad, she's just not herself. Sometimes, she's BOMBALOO.Being BOMBALOO is scary. But a little time-out and a lot of love calm BOMBALOO down and help Katie feel like Katie again!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #61361 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Amazon.com Review
Most of the time Katie Honors is a good kid. But sometimes, when her baby brother has knocked over one too many of her beautiful castles, Katie becomes Bombaloo. She uses her fists and feet instead of her words. Her toys "end up all over the floor--and so does my brother." It takes some alone time, a lot of parental understanding, and a silly episode with flying underwear to calm Bombaloo down again and return her to her happy Katie Honors state.

There aren't too many kids who won't be able to relate to award-winning author Rachel Vail's miniature version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Katie's rage is scary and reflected alarmingly well by illustrator Yumi Heo's collage, pencil, and paint illustrations, reminiscent of the art of Lane Smith, Giselle Potter, and Maira Kalman. The message is clear: sometimes we get angry--really, really angry--but it's important to calm down eventually and make it up to those we may have hurt. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
Emotions bubble over in this wise picture book about how a child deals with anger. Katie Honors is a self-described "really good kid," generally obedient, kind and conscientious. But occasionally her baby brother's penchant for wrecking her building-block castles sends Katie over the edge: "Sometimes I'm Bombaloo," she explains about her furious alter ego. "I show my teeth and make fierce noises.... I use my feet and my fists instead of my words.... I want to smash stuff." Obliged to "take some time for myself and think about it," Katie calms down and realizes, "I'm sorry and a little frightened." Vail (Over the Moon; the Friendship Ring series) speaks knowingly to both young children and parents, emphasizing love and patience. Her kid-friendly phrasing and language add immediacy and some humor to the proceedings. Much like Betsy Everitt's Mean Soup, this book's message that it's normal, if scary, to lose control sometimes is clear, and emphasized in a most satisfying way. Heo's (Father's Rubber Shoes) highly patterned mixed-media illustrations, alternately warm and perky, use vibrant backgrounds, blocks of color and carefully chosen images to depict Katie's emotional tornado. Memorable scenes include Katie seated against a stark black background during her time-out, and an up-close view of her in the throes of a Bombaloo moment. Ages 3-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
reSchool-Grade 1--Anger is the subject of this wonderfully illustrated and beautifully designed picture book. Katie Honors is a good kid, who gives excellent hugs and remembers to use her napkin. But sometimes she's Bombaloo, and uses her feet and fists instead of words. "It's scary, being Bombaloo," she says, "My mother knows that. She hugs me and helps me clean up the mess Bombaloo made, and then after some sorries and kisses for my brother, we build a new castle together." Heo's bright paintings are quirky and immediate, and show a Bombaloo world that's slightly askew. Constantly changing perspective, color, and typeface project Katie's roller coaster of emotions. The subject and age of the character in this title bear a very close resemblance to those in Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry- (Scholastic, 1999), yet they are different enough in voice and mode of resolution that most collections will want both.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Because We All Get BOMBALOO
I think this is a psychologically adept book that strikes a good balance between message and entertainment. The young narrator talks about how she's generally a good person: "...I'm a really good kid. I smile a lot because usually I'm happy, and I give excellent hugs." She behaves even when her brother knocks over her blocks.

"But," she explains, "sometimes I'm Bombaloo." She shows her teeth, makes fierce noises and scrunches up her face." I use my feet and my fists instead of my words." She knows that later, after a time-out ("I have to go take some time for myself and think about it"), she'll calm down and apologize to her brother. But the book doesn't minimize the strength of the feelings: "But while I'm Bombaloo, I'm not sorry; I'm angry. I hate everybody and everything..."

The author shows a calm, factual empathy in her narrator's voice "And I'm sorry and a little frightened. It's scary, being Bombaloo. My mother knows that. She hugs me and helps me clean up...," and, after making up with her brother, "we build a new castle together." The book neither excuses nor judges Bombaloo-style anger. Instead, it shows the feelings that occur before, during, and after it, and offers parents and kids the hope of resolution. 29 pages, with excellent, evocative illustrations by Yumi Heo.

Because We All Get BOMBALOO
I think this is a psychologically adept book that strikes a good balance between message and entertainment. The young narrator talks about how she's generally a good person: "...I'm a really good kid. I smile a lot because usually I'm happy, and I give excellent hugs." She behaves even when her brother knocks over her blocks.

"But," she explains, "sometimes I'm Bombaloo." She shows her teeth, makes fierce noises and scrunches up her face." I use my feet and my fists instead of my words." She knows that later, after a time-out ("I have to go take some time for myself and think about it"), she'll calm down and apologize to her brother. But the book doesn't minimize the strength of the feelings: "But while I'm Bombaloo, I'm not sorry; I'm angry. I hate everybody and everything..."

The author shows a calm, factual empathy in her narrator's voice "And I'm sorry and a little frightened. It's scary, being Bombaloo. My mother knows that. She hugs me and helps me clean up...," and, after making up with her brother, "we build a new castle together." The book neither excuses nor judges Bombaloo-style anger. Instead, it shows the feelings that occur before, during, and after it, and offers parents and kids the hope of resolution. 29 pages, with excellent, evocative illustrations by Yumi Heo.

Highly recommend
My 2-1/2 year old daughter loves this book. It gave us a way to talk about out-of-control emotions. Now when she gets mad, I can ask her, "Are you bombaloo?" The question focuses her attention -- and she either acknowledges that she's mad or she shifts her mood, and says "I'm not bombaloo!" and laughs. The book has wonderful illlustrations. The writer communicates in a direct way that young children can understand.