No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling ANNOTATION
The reader joins Freddy Fafnaffer the pig as he deals with Mr. Frimdimpny, a crocodile who never laughs and who decides on the rules for reading this book.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
A hilarious encore to Don't Make Me Laugh
No laughing or smiling or giggling -- Mr. Frimdimpny doesn't like it. He's the crocodile in charge of this book, and he never laughs. Follow his rules or else!
This humorously subversive picture book invites brave readers to join Freddy Fafnaffer, the pig, in disobeying the bossy Mr. Frindimpny, in three comic acts. The first presents Mr. Freshley Prest Panz, Jr., who is about to receive the prize for best-dressed man in the world. The second act features the World's Tiniest Circus, definitely worth the price of admission. Act three starts with the warning NEVER take a red balloon to a fancy concert -- but someone ignores this advice.
Remember, no laughing!
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
New titles extend the pleasure of previous picture book favorites. Mr. Frimdimpny is up to his old tricks in No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling by James Stevenson, the companion to Don't Make Me Laugh. The bossy green fellow once again sends readers, characters and anyone else caught disobeying his rules back to the front of the book. Freddy Fafnaffer, the friendly pig, discovers how to make the grumpy gator laugh, lending the book an expected but satisfying finale. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr
Freddy Fafnaffer is a young pig. He is also the narrator of the book, and the nice one. Freddy's bﾽte noir is the alligator, Mr. Frimdimpny. Mr. Frimdimpny is not nice. He thinks he is in charge of the book but has, alas, no sense of humor. Go ahead, laugh. GO BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE BOOK! That is Mr. Frimdimpny's Rule number 1. More absurd rules follow. It might take a reading or two to get the gist of the book—and the joke—but once grasped, youngsters will laugh and smile and giggle as Freddy finds a way to subvert dour, sour, Mr. Frimdimpny. James Stevenson is the much beloved author and illustrator of many such tour de forces. He does not lack a sense of humor, and his pen-and-ink and watercolor sketches scoonch and shloop across the pages in fine style. 2004, Frances Foster/Farrar Straus and Giroux, Ages 2 to 6.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3-In this sequel to Stevenson's Don't Make Me Laugh (Farrar, 1999), Mr. Frimdimpny, a crocodile curmudgeon, admonishes Freddy Fafnaffer, an adorable pink pig, that no one is allowed to laugh or giggle. An infraction of the rule results in the wrongdoer having to return to the front of the book. Clever Freddy, however, spies on the crocodile and hears him reveal his secret: "If anybody tickles my tail, I giggle." As readers peruse the ridiculously silly vignettes that follow, Freddy laughs, giggles, and smiles several times, resulting in his return to the beginning of the book. At the end of the story, he sneaks up to a sleeping Mr. Frimdimpny and begins to tickle him. When the larger animal unexpectedly rolls over and Freddy gets caught beneath him, the pig asks the audience to help him tickle Mr. Frimdimpny's tail; the crocodile laughs and must return to the front of the book. Children will enjoy the humorous cartoons and delight in helping Freddy out of his predicament. The act of inviting readers to actively participate in the plot has great appeal. Youngsters will enjoy this title, which is best suited for independent reading or one-on-one sharing, over and over again.-Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Stevenson reprises Don't Make Me Laugh (1999): a grumpy alligator named Mr. Frimdimpny again proclaims himself "in charge," warning that any reader who so much as cracks a smile has to turn back to the first page and start over. Children willingly buying into this rule stand no chance of ever reaching the end, as a string of silly incidents ensues-involving "Mr. Freshly Prest Panz, Jr.," the world's best-dressed man; the world's tiniest circus (don't turn the page too quickly: you'll blow it away); an errant red balloon at a concert; and Frimdimpny's own, all too ticklish, tail. As usual, the casual, perfect art looks as if it took about an hour-plus 60 or so years-to ink and color. Despite covering familiar territory, this outing is sure to delight Stevenson's zillions of fans, or anyone with a funny bone, for that matter. (Picture book. 6-8)
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