Armadillo Antics

by Bill Martin Jr, Michael Sampson, Nathalie Beauvois (Illustrator)

Overview

2022 Gold Medal Recipient of the Moonbeam Award for Best Picture Book in the 4–8-Year-Old Category

A 2023 CBC Librarian Favorites Winner

2023 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award, Finalist 

2023 Eric Hoffer Book Award, Honorable Mention 

2023 Reading the West Book Award, Shortlist 

“Armadillo Antics pays tribute to the night creatures that roamed the woods outside [Martin's and Sampson’s] houses in Commerce, Texas. It’s this nocturnal aspect that the talented Argentine collagist Beauvois captures so beautifully.”—The New York Times

Join the Armadillo on His Nightly Romp! 

Children will love the rhythm and rhyme that are hallmarks of the beloved author duo of Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 as they follow the adventurous armadillo through nighttime fun as dawn approaches.

Bill Martin Jr was the beloved author of more than three hundred books for children and teachers, including the classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

Michael Sampson taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr at a conference in Tucson, Arizona in 1978. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612545479
Publisher:	Brown Books Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/26/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	654,557
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bill Martin Jr was the beloved author of more than three hundred books for children and teachers, including the classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, which was illustrated by his friend Eric Carle, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Bill was elected to the Reading Hall of Fame by the International Literacy Association. The Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award, which is the Kansas State award for best children's picture book, was established in his name in 1996. Bill wrote Armadillo Antics with Michael Sampson when he moved to Texas, in honor of the fun, inquisitive creatures that roamed the woods outside his house.

Michael Sampson taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr at a conference in Tucson, Arizona in 1978. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? Sampson often speaks at schools, book festivals, and literacy conferences, where he is known for his high-energy, entertaining performances. Dr. Sampson is a Fulbright Scholar and a professor of literacy at St. John’s University in New York City.

Nathalie Beauvois has a graphic design background in advertising and has also studied industrial design. Nathalie started her career in the art departments of ad agencies and eventually transitioned into freelance illustrating. Since then, she has illustrated dozens of books and hundreds of magazines in countries all over the world. Her creations always start the traditional way with paper and pencil. Depending on the visual task at hand, she mixes in techniques such as watercolor, collage, vector drawing, and Photoshop coloring and texturizing. When not playing with the antics of armadillos, she is happily living and working in Argentina with her family.

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/07/2022

Starting with lines reminiscent of the hymn “Now the Day Is Over,” this hitherto unpublished work by prior collaborators, the late Martin and Sampson (Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3), salutes the titular bony-plated, roly-poly armadillo’s nocturnal escapades. Beauvois (Who Is Henry?), whose elaborately textured, highly dimensional surfaces recognize the paper collage legacy of Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, creates a series of striking contrasts to the repeating text’s simple rhymes. As the mammals appear, ready to “romp and play till the night is done,” they’re shown in deep jewel tones with patterning reminiscent of a Missoni sweater. Eye-catching images introduce the animals in various states: when text observes that one is “dressed in armor like a knight,” an armadillo in steely shades of purple shoots a beady-eyed glare that seems to say, “Back off!” Some images are set against white backgrounds, which readers may find confusing given the book’s nighttime setting; that quibble aside, tagging along with this self-possessed, graphically stylish critter and chanting its name (each stanza begins “Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo”) as it leaps, digs, and dines makes for a memorable outing. Armadillo facts end the volume. Ages 4–8. Authors’ agent: Ron Zollshan, Kirchoff Wohlberg. Illustrator’s agent: Deborah Wolfe, IllustrationOnline.com. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Armadillo Antics pays tribute to the night creatures that roamed the woods outside [Martin's and Sampson's] houses in Commerce, Texas. It's this nocturnal aspect that the talented Argentine collagist Beauvois captures so beautifully. While highly influenced by the painted, cut-paper style of Eric Carle, Beauvois's brush strokes are more rough-hewn, her textures more raised, her backgrounds darker. And sometimes - yes, it's true - she intentionally strays outside the lines."-The New York Times


"For a romping night in the life of a roly-poly armadillo, pick up Armadillo Antics!" -Parade Magazine


"This short rhyming story about a night in the life of an armadillo is cozy and soothing. Beauvois's collage-style art, especially the armadillo curled up inside its next, gives Eric Carle vibes. A collection of eight facts on the final page will fascinate kids and grown-ups alike." -Parents Magazine


"Beauvois, whose elaborately textured, highly dimensional surfaces recognize the paper collage legacy of Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, creates a series of striking contrasts to the repeating text's simple rhymes. As the mammals appear, ready to 'romp and play till the night is done,' they're shown in deep jewel tones with patterning reminiscent of a Missoni sweater... tagging along with this self-possessed, graphically stylish critter and chanting its name as it leaps, digs, and dines makes for a memorable outing." -Publishers Weekly, starred review


"Cheerful encouragement for a curious nocturnal creature... this colorful book will make for a vibrant nature-focused storytime." -Kirkus Reviews


"Mixed-media illustrations, which offer both texture and movement, are reminiscent of those created by Lois Ehlert and Eric Carle. Watercolors, collage, and digital work combine to produce bright, captivating graphic illustrations... Delightful, informative, and visually arresting." -Booklist


"Bright, collage-like illustrations add whimsy to this rhyming picture book about a night in the life of an armadillo." -Foreword Reviews


"For a romping night in the life of a roly-poly armadillo, pick up Armadillo Antics!" -Philadelphia Inquirer


"Armadillo Antics provides fascinating information. Told in verse, the story starts as the full moon rises and most creatures head off to sleep. The armadillo, however, is freshly awake and ready to frolic all night long." -Arizona Republic


"A wonderfully musical nighttime romp with stunning illustrations." -Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medal-Winning, New York Times Bestselling Author


"Armadillo Antics takes us through a night in the life of the armadillo, with wonderful lyrical rhyming text and gorgeous textured colorful collage art. This mysterious creature comes to life as an absolute symphony of words, and images dance across the pages. Magnificent!" -Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Caldecott-Winning, New York Times Bestselling Author and Illustrator


"Armadillo Antics is a wonderful rhythmic dance of color, collage and energy. Rich with vibrant color and texture, this book radiates joy as the armadillo blazes through its adventurous night only to land safely at his underground home where it can rest and dream." -Bryan Collier, Caldecott Medalist and Coretta Scott King Award-Winning Illustrator


"Armadillo Antics is a fun introduction for beginning readers to an animal that is often derided as being a bit out of step with the modern world. The simple poetic text uses rhyme to describe many interesting facts about the armadillo, and Nathalie Beauvois's expressive collage illustrations add humor and beauty to a fitting tribute to a species that is deserving of much more respect than it often receives. Picture books that encourage young readers' affection toward the natural world and its creatures are invaluable, and Armadillo Antics is a nice addition to this genre. The eight armadillo facts at the end of the book are comically illustrated, and encourage exploration into more detailed study." -Janell Cannon, Award-Winning, New York Times Bestselling Author of Stellaluna


"What a delight to read the enchanting rhythms and rhymes of Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson! The words dance and sing on the page surrounded by beautiful illustrations!" -Eric Litwin, #1 New York Times Bestselling, Award-Winning Author of Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes


"I just love the simple rhymes of Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson. To convey a maximum of emotion with a minimum of words-that's the art of writing!" -Marcus Pfister, Award-Winning and Internationally Bestselling Author of The Rainbow Fish

From the Publisher

05/20/2022

K-Gr 3—Boldly colored and patterned collage captures the escapades of an armadillo as it awakens as the sun goes down and has an adventurous night. Rhyming verse ("Armadillo, armadillo, armadillo run. Romp and play till the night is done") capture the physical abilities and challenges for armadillos in their environment as well as the fun to be had with a snout as strong as steel and the ability to leap ten times one's height. Back matter includes a single page of armadillo facts that accompany this engagingly illustrated tribute to the fascinating critter. VERDICT Especially useful for libraries in parts of the country where there are armadillos, this is an energetically illustrated introduction to a fascinating creature.—John Scott

School Library Journal

2022-04-27
Cheerful encouragement for a curious nocturnal creature.

This ode to an odd yet appealing animal opens with an introduction to its nighttime world: “Now the day has ended… / Shadows of the evening / dance across the sky.” Then, in couplets, the authors address the armadillo directly, suggesting actions: run, leap, dig, eat, and retreat into its burrow before sunrise. The beats don’t always line up in the second lines of the couplets; those reading the book aloud for an audience should practice. In a nod to previous illustrators of Martin's many popular titles, Beauvois uses a combination of collage on painted paper and digital collage. One page is entirely brushwork (with adjustments made in Photoshop), mostly blues, with a few fish: “look, / or you may fall into the brook.” The next is a close-up of the armadillo “dressed in armor like a knight.” The figures are large and colorful. In spite of the animal's nocturnal habits, the backgrounds are often white, the better for showing to a group. Some armadillo facts are summarized on a final page, with illustrations in an entirely different style. Those who read to preschoolers will welcome the appearance of this new work by these frequent collaborators, the first of several to be published in the coming years. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This colorful book will make for a vibrant nature-focused storytime. (Informational picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews