Two Problems for Sophia

by Jim Averbeck, Yasmeen Ismail (Illustrator)

Overview

Sophia quickly learns her new pet comes with two giraffe-sized problems in this enterprising sequel to One Word from Sophia, which was named one of the best picture books of 2015 by Kirkus Reviews.

Sophia and Noodle, her One True Desire, are together at last.

But Noodle comes with two gigantic problems, and those problems are tearing Sophia’s family apart!

Can a little creative experimenting save Noodle? Or will Sophia have to bid him adieu?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481477888
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	06/12/2018
Series:	Sophia Books Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,108,170
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jim Averbeck is the author of the Sophia series, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail; In a Blue Room, illustrated by Tricia Tusa; and of the novel A Hitch at the Fairmont. He is also the author and illustrator of the picture books Oh No, Little Dragon! and Except If. He studied children’s book writing and illustration at the University of California Berkeley and now makes his home in San Francisco. You can visit him at JimAverbeck.com.

Irish-born, Bristol-based Yasmeen Ismail is an award-winning author, illustrator, and animator. Her first picture book, Time for Bed, Fred, won the V&A Best Illustrated Book Award and The New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award. It was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, longlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, and nominated for the National Cartoonists Society Silver Reuben Award. Yasmeen has been nominated for her other works as well and has been selected by the Society of Illustrators to have her work shown in the Original Art Exhibition in New York four years in a row.

Editorial Reviews

* “Fun, clever, and empowering.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A welcome addition to positive portrayals of young girl STEM enthusiasts....This makes an outstanding readaloud." -BCCB, starred review

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—In this engaging sequel to One Word from Sophia, Sophia, an inventive and mechanically gifted girl must find a solution to the perturbing problem of her pet giraffe's raucous snoring. The child thought that having gotten Noodle, her "One True Desire," she would be completely happy. However, it turns out that having a giraffe as a pet comes with its own set of problems. Sophia's sleep-deprived mother demands that she find a solution to the unbearable snoring and Noodle for his part, tries to make up, but his sloppy kisses only aggravate the adults in the household. Brilliant young Sophia does extensive research and seeks out an acoustical engineer for assistance but it's ultimately her own ingenuity and engineering prowess that saves the day. The bright watercolor-and—colored pencil illustrations show Sophia's family chugging coffee as they suffer through the sleepless nights. Meanwhile, Noodle's serpentine neck swoops gleefully in and out of spreads with ossicones waggling. The book presumes that readers are ignorant of important giraffe data and offers a "Giraffacts" page right off the bat. The simple text contains some complex vocabulary but in keeping with the original, there is a handy glossary in the back for further assistance. VERDICT Pair this title with Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty or Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen for a female-centric STEM storytime.—Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library

School Library Journal

★ 2018-04-16
Sophia proves she's not only a gifted linguist and negotiator (One Word from Sophia, 2015), but a brilliant engineer, as well.Endpapers (cleverly oriented to require a height-emphasizing 90-degree turn) open the book with "giraffacts" that are referenced in the story. Sophia's birthday wish from the previous installment has been fulfilled, but she's "happysad": It seems that "giraffe-size problems" come with Noodle, her kiss-happy, snoring One True Desire. Ismail's expressive, hilarious watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations once again shine. Noodle has a long tongue—the giraffacts state it's about 20 inches long—which makes his liquid kisses less-than-welcome to many members of Sophia's interracial family. Though Noodle is "especially fond of Grand-mamá," she is decidedly not a fan of his "sloppy" kisses. Neither is the family dog, who, dismayed and disgusted, is lifted right off the ground by Noodle's extralong tongue! With Noodle's snoring keeping the entire family awake, Sophia's jurist mother gives her a directive: "to find a perdurable solution to his problems" (the first of many synonyms for "permanent"). That's all Sophia needs to let her incredible engineering skills shine. First, she wisely consults an expert, an acoustical engineer, depicted as a woman of color. When at first she doesn't succeed, Sophia, who has brown skin and wears her hair in two Afro-puff ponytails, perseveres until she finds an abiding solution.Fun, clever, and empowering, this is the rare case of a sequel that outshines its predecessor. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews