Naughty Mabel

by Nathan Lane, Devlin Elliott, Dan Krall (Illustrator)

Overview

A pampered pup takes center stage at her parents’ party in this charmingly hilarious picture book from film and Broadway star Nathan Lane (of The Lion King and The Producers fame) and Devlin Elliott!

Meet Mabel, the fanciest French bulldog the Hamptons have ever seen. Mabel is many things: sassy, classy (and sometimes a bit gassy!), but especially...naughty! Mabel’s always getting herself into trouble—and with style like hers, can you really blame her? When Naughty Mabel’s parents throw a party and try to leave her out of the fun, of course she must take matters into her own perfectly pedicured paws. As the hilarity ensues, Mabel and her parents learn that through thick and thin, naughty or nice, they’ll always be a family, just as they are.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481430227
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Series:	Naughty Mabel Series
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	112,068
Product dimensions:	11.50(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nathan Lane is an award-winning star of stage, screen, and television. In the theater he has won two Tony awards, five Drama Desk awards, two Obies, and the Olivier award. In 2008 he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. On television he has had recurring roles on American Crime Story, Modern Family, and The Good Wife. He has received six primetime Emmy nominations, two daytime Emmy awards, and the People’s Choice award. He has made over thirty-five films, including The Birdcage, The Lion King, Mousehunt, Stuart Little, The Producers, and Carrie Pilby.

Devlin Elliott is the co-owner of Maberry Theatricals, Inc. and is a Tony-nominated Broadway/Off-Broadway and West End producer. As a writer he’s recently finished his first play, a television pilot, and the second Naughty Mabel book with Nathan.

Dan Krall is an author, illustrator, and an animator. He worked as a character designer on the popular films How to Train Your Dragon and Coraline. He was also the art director for the television shows Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Chowder, and Samurai Jack, as well as a Development Artist for Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, The PowerPuff Girls, and Dexter’s Laboratory. He lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

07/06/2015
Lane and Elliott’s first picture book begins with Mabel, a French bulldog with huge batlike ears, floating in a palatial Hamptons swimming pool. It ends with Mabel unleashing a fart so powerful that it sends her owners’ guests fleeing in their formalwear. In between, Mabel tosses off bon mots (“I’m five! Oh, I know I don’t look it. Besides, five is the new three!”) and denies—and then impishly affirms—that she is indeed a bad dog. “Of course, I play by my own rules,” she says while wreaking havoc on a miniature golf course. “I’m a maverick, what can I say?” Krall (Sick Simon) gives Mabel a visual personality that’s part diva and part Auntie Mame, but it feels like he’s pedaling awfully hard to achieve a champagne bubbliness. As for the text, if Lane could come to every home and read this book aloud in his inimitable cadence, readers would be thoroughly charmed. But on its own, it’s a rambling monologue without any narrative cohesion beyond an arch attitude. Ages 4–8. Authors’ agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Mabel is somewhere between Fancy Nancy and Rotten Ralph, and her fashionable destruction is sure to charm little ones."

October 1, 2015 - Booklist

"A delightful confection...More Mabel, please."

October 29, 2015 - The Chicago Tribune

"Mabel is somewhere between Fancy Nancy and Rotten Ralph, and her fashionable destruction is sure to charm little ones."

October 1, 2015 - Booklist

2015-06-29
A pampered French bulldog named Mabel leads a life of misbehavior in this celebrity vehicle. Mabel lives in a mansion in the Hamptons with a swimming pool and her own bedroom. She narrates her story with a worldly-wise and wisecracking voice, a sophisticated pooch always looking for something to get up to. Her mischievous antics are creative and entertaining, such as taking a golf cart for a joy ride and adding her own painted details to a huge, expensive portrait. The climax of Mabel's many misdeeds finds her crashing her owners' fancy dinner party around the pool. There, she eats too much human food, leading to a doggy digestive gas attack that clears the house. The evening ends with Mabel in bed in between her "parents," who reassure her of their unconditional love. The concept and illustrations work well together, but the story is long, plodding, and filled with adult-level quips and jokes that will fly over the heads of most children. One of these comments about Mabel's French ancestry is an old cultural stereotype that doesn't belong in the 21st century: "Maybe it's the French in me, but I do not like to bathe. Not one bit." Digitally produced, cartoon-style illustrations and a supersized format create a larger-than-life aura for Mabel's debut (a sequel is already in the works), but her story is frantic, not funny. Mabel's story may be a hit in the Hamptons, but will it play in Peoria? Maybe not. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews