Martha, No!

by Edward Hardy, Deborah Allwright (Illustrator)

Overview

Martha Felicity Molly-Anne May has a habit of losing her nannies. She’s so naughty that even Mary Poppins wouldn’t know what to do!
 
Can the newest nanny, Miss Harrington-Chive, keep track of the little angel during their day out on the town? Or will Martha’s behavior have the nanny screaming “Martha, no!” until her voice goes hoarse?
 
And if Martha loses this nanny, what’s her mommy to do?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781606842669
Publisher:	EgmontUSA
Publication date:	03/13/2012
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Edward Hardy’s debut book was Martha, No! as published by Egmont UK in August 2010. Edward previously worked in the world of theatre, and is a bright new talent in the world of picture books.
 
Deborah Allwright is a celebrated and successful illustrator. She was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Award, and has made an impact in the picture book market since the publication of The Night Pirates. She works in a studio in Islington, and is also interested in fashion and music production, DJing at festivals in her spare time.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Martha, No! (UK Edition):

"This is a beautiful book with an imaginative and simply gorgeous storyline, and the stunning illustrations are whimsical and retro - bringing delight to adults and kids alike." - Kids Book Review Blog

"There's a lot to enjoy in Martha, No . . . Deborah Allwright's illustrations suit the mood wonderfully." - The Bookbag

From the Publisher

PreS-K—Full of energy and derring-do, Martha Felicity Molly-Anne May befuddles one nanny after another with her outlandish behavior. During an outing with her new caregiver, Miss Harrington-Chive, the child blasts out of a sidewalk musician's trombone, stands on the jaw of a huge dinosaur at the museum, and spins dough at the pizza parlor-with little regard for the chaos left behind. The nanny's repeated pleas, "Martha, No!" go completely unheard until a bunch of balloons on a long string sends the girl across the sky and back home into her mother's arms. When Mother declares, "no more nannies," Martha May agrees, which seems to be what she wanted all along-making one wonder if this is a message is for adults rather than a story for children. The pages are colorful and action filled, but the central character has little personality. Ian Falconer's "Olivia" books (S & S) provide a richer reading experience and feature a protagonist with much more dimension.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

School Library Journal

A sweet disposition combined with a penchant for mass destruction drives this sweet if mildly flawed tale of a nanny and her overly enthusiastic young charge. Despite the girl's mother's warnings, Martha May's latest nanny, Miss Harrington-Chive, is sure that the two will get along swimmingly. Instead, the older woman quickly learns that to take your eyes off of Martha for more than two seconds is to invite catastrophe. The story is regularly punctuated by the titular cries of "Martha, No!" as the child scales dino skeletons, digs tunnels and, ultimately, flies away with a clump of balloons--back into her mother's waiting arms. Martha's saving grace is that her chaos is inspired less by a desire to be naughty and more out of honest curiosity about the world around her. Allwright is conscious of this fact from the get-go, her Martha charming in her innocence rather than her destruction. The art is a large percentage of the fun, encompassing everything from dramatic teacup balancing to brass-band hijinks. Everything works quite beautifully until the ending, which resolves by indicating that mothers of nannied children apparently hand them off to strangers on a whim rather than a necessity. Still, a delicious tone and the perfect illustrator are sure to make this a beloved story in many a household (odd ending or no). (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews