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Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back?

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Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back?

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Overview

A hilarious take on helping others and self awareness from New York Times bestselling author Jory John and comic artist sensation Liz Climo

Persnickety Elephant has an itch—a big one—and he can't reach it! While he isn't above asking for a little help, no one is up to the task. Turtle is too lazy, Snail is too slimy, and Alligator... well, Elephant isn't sure he wants his assistance. Does Elephant have to do everything himself?

Jory John's signature deadpan humor pairs perfectly with Liz Climo's oh-so-innocent-looking animals to create a slyly ironic read-aloud that will leave kids and parents in stitches.

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About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735228542
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	03/20/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	685,395
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jory John is the author of multiple books for children and adults, including the New York Times bestsellers The Terrible Two and All My Friends Are Dead, as well as the popular Penguin Problems and E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor book Goodnight Already. He lives in Oregon with his wife.

Liz Climo is an author, illustrator, and animator currently working on The Simpsons. She has written and illustrated several children's books, including the Rory the Dinosaur series, and two comic collections based on her incredibly popular Tumblr, Hi I'm Liz. She lives in LA with her family.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

02/05/2018
An elephant has an unscratchable itch in the middle of its back. Climo (the Rory the Dinosaur books) draws the petite gray protagonist alone on an expanse of white, so when he sends out a call for help (which is identical to the book’s title), his plaintiveness is positively existential. Other animals come along, but the help they offer is ambivalent, incompetent, or downright dangerous. A hungry crocodile is a little too eager, and meerkats become inadvertent ticklers. Finally, a shy, sweet porcupine shows up and becomes the perfect backscratcher. This would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship in most stories—especially those with cartooning as adorable as Climo’s—but not this one. Once the elephant has what he needs, he hurls the porcupine into the distance, and John (The Bad Seed) has him remark to no one in particular, “Finally! Somebody who was actually helpful!” Adults who dabble in occasional misanthropy could find it funny, but children with a strong sense of fairness may cry foul. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Kathleen Ortiz, New Leaf Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"The expressive text andillustrations act together to make the elephant’s frustration clearly evident.... There is much [children] can identify with in this elephant’s dilemma." –Booklist

"A funny read-aloud suitable for any classroom or library."–SLJ

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Poor Elephant has a terrible itch on his back and just cannot scratch it on his own. So, he seeks the help of an assortment of animals. Each one fails to relieve him of his itch: Snake has no hands, Sloth is much too slow, and Croc is just plain untrustworthy. Finally Elephant comes across Hedgehog whose prickly back makes an excellent back scratcher! A funny surprise ending will have audiences laughing out loud. Simple yet expressive illustrations help highlight the humor of the story and Elephant's anguish. VERDICT A funny read-aloud suitable for any classroom or library.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh

School Library Journal

2017-12-06
An elephant with a terrible itch on its back seeks help from fellow animals, but when relief is finally achieved, gratitude is the last thing on its mind.Scratching an itch that can't be reached is frustrating. Enlisting the right help is even more annoying for this obnoxious pachyderm. Mr. Crocodile is more than willing, but his sharp teeth (and grin) dissuade the elephant. Mr. Snail only creates a slimy feeling down Elephant's back. As the itch grows worse, the elephant becomes increasingly upset and even rude to several more creatures willing to try, leaving the itchy beast in tears and somewhat despondent. "Oh, I have an itch on my back and it will never be scratched. I just don't know what to do." Then a sympathetic hedgehog appears: "Perhaps I can help. I'm quite pokey." Scooping the hedgehog up with its trunk and placing the spiny critter in just the right spot brings the desired relief. But the boorish elephant then forcefully flings the little guy into the air—"Off you go!"—selfishly proclaiming, "Finally! Somebody who was actually helpful!" The poor helpless hedgehog is now stuck upside down with an itch of its own and, in a reprise of an earlier joke, must wait for Mr. Sloth to slowly make his way over. While taken separately each individual encounter is quite funny, the intended amusement in the dialogue-driven story is marred by the elephant's concluding, churlish behavior, rendering the endearingly cute, delicately outlined cartoon illustrations inapt.Just plain mean-spirited. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Review

Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back?

Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back?

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