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Children's Fiction Siblings

What Are You Doing, Benny?

by (author) Cary Fagan

illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Publisher
Tundra
Initial publish date
Apr 2019
Category
Siblings, Emotions & Feelings, Imagination & Play
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781770498570
    Publish Date
    Apr 2019
    List Price
    $21.99

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 3 to 7
  • Grade: p to 2

Description

From New York Times-bestselling illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton and award-winning author Cary Fagan comes a charming sibling story that has the makings of a contemporary classic.

Benny's little brother is really good at a lot of things -- making potions and paper airplanes, building forts, putting on puppet shows, even petting the neighbor's cat (he has a special way of scratching her just behind the ears). But whenever he tries to join in Benny's activities, all Benny ever says is "No." Maybe his little brother can watch him do cool stuff, if he's lucky. What is a little fox to do, except give Benny a taste of his own medicine? Totally familiar yet fresh and original, tenderly told and consistently funny, this story perfectly captures the joys (and annoyances!) of sibling relationships.

About the authors

Cary Fagan is the author of eight previous novels and five books of short stories, including The Student, Great Adventures for the Faint of Heart, and A Bird's Eye. He has been nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Writers' Trust Fiction Award, the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, and has won the Toronto Book Award and the Canadian Jewish Book Award for Fiction. He is also an acclaimed writer of books for children, having won the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, the IODE Jean Throop Book Award, a Mr. Christie Silver Medal, the Joan Betty Stuchner—Oy Vey!—Funniest Children's Book Award, and the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. Fagan's work has been translated into French, Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan, Turkish, Russian, Polish, Chinese, Korean and Persian. He still lives in his hometown of Toronto.

Cary Fagan's profile page

Kady MacDonald Denton has illustrated more than forty picture books, including the New York Times bestseller A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, and A SECOND IS A HICCUP by Hazel Hutchins. She lives in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Please visit her website at www.kadymacdonalddenton.ca.

Kady MacDonald Denton's profile page

Editorial Reviews

One of CCBC's Best Books for Kids & Teens 2019
PRAISE FOR What Are You Doing, Benny?:

“Relating the tale in the first person by the younger fox in child-friendly dialogue and with delightfully imaginative imagery, Fagan treats the sibling relationship with humor and kindness, leading to a win-win outcome. . . . A lovely, gentle exercise in getting along.” --Kirkus Reviews
"Children who are part of a sibling group will identify with these characters making this title a popular addition to a personal, public or school library." --Resource Links

“This is an excellent and realistic portrayal of the balance and kindness of sibling relationships.” --School Library Journal

“Offer[s] concrete solutions by encouraging kids to test their assumptions, employ communication instead of negative self-talk, or, when all else fails, go it alone and make your own fun.” --Quill & Quire

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