★"Rex's work is always humorous, smart, and delightfully absurd, and this is no exception. The hand-painted text has beautiful artistry to it, but it’s also a tongue-tangling, deliciously metered, rhyming absurdist story that begs to be read aloud in classrooms, libraries, and homes. . . . [B]rilliantly detailed . . . the child’s expressions are masterpieces in and of themselves . . . Rex is king of the picture books. Consider this required reading."
—Booklist, starred review
How do you get gum out of your hair? From the madcap mind of award-winning children's author Adam Rex comes a book about how the best intentions lead to the worst (and funniest) ideas!
So, you got bubblegum in your hair—and before you know it, a pair of scissors, some butter, your rabbit, and the cat are also stuck up there. And to make matters worse, it's picture day!
With each turn of the page in On Account of the Gum, the situation gets stickier, sillier, and more desperate. Kids will love this all-too-familiar story, told in verse and propelled by charming illustrations, about one family's best efforts to get the gum un-stuck . . . by any means necessary.
"Adam Rex is one of the best writers making picture books today, and . . . On Account of the Gum just might be his best picture book yet."—Mac Barnett, New York Times bestselling author of the Caldecott Honor books Sam and Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn
CLASSIC STORY: Readers of all ages will instantly relate to this problem that kids have faced since the invention of bubble gum.
AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR: Adam Rex books are filled with whimsical rhymes and hilarious illustrations that make him one of the most beloved and children's book authors working today.
READ ALOUD FUN: Told in clever rhyming verse, this funny book is perfect for story time on the couch or in the classroom.
Perfect for:
- Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and educators looking for a delightful read-aloud tale
- Anyone looking for funny kids books for girl or boy
- Readers who enjoy the zany humor of Dragons Love Tacos, The Wonky Donkey, and books by Jory John and Mo Willems
- Fans of Adam Rex's award-winning picture books, including the New York Times bestsellers Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, School's First Day of School (with illustrator Christian Robinson), and Chu's Day (with author Neil Gaiman)
- Anyone who has ever had gum stuck in their hair!
★"Rex's work is always humorous, smart, and delightfully absurd, and this is no exception. The hand-painted text has beautiful artistry to it, but it’s also a tongue-tangling, deliciously metered, rhyming absurdist story that begs to be read aloud in classrooms, libraries, and homes. . . . [B]rilliantly detailed . . . the child’s expressions are masterpieces in and of themselves . . . Rex is king of the picture books. Consider this required reading."
—Booklist, starred review
★"Conversational rhyme, cascading action, and dramatic page turns create a story of early-morning, get-ready-for-school chaos. Gum-wrapper endpaper illustrations collaged under a bubble gum–pink wash set the tone for escalating silliness . . . [On Account of the Gum is a] gloriously giggly tale glued together by a glob of very gooey gum."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★"[I]n-your-face, and progressively, hilariously, outrageous. There’s an offbeat rhythm to the sometimes-rhyming text that, likewise, keeps listeners guessing. . . . The humor is in the page-turn. . . A rollicking cumulative tale that many listeners will want to choose and re-chew-se."
—Horn Book Magazine, starred review
"Snappy second-person verse enumerates a family’s vain efforts to remove a blob of shocking pink bubblegum as Rex (Unstoppable) dreams up ever-grosser remedies for the hairy dilemma."
–Publishers Weekly
"In Adam Rex's divine picture-book comedy of errors . . . Rex (School's First Day of School; Nothing Rhymes with Orange; Unstoppable), a master of meshuggaas, hastens along the humor with caricaturish illustrations in a fruity palette perfectly suited to the asimmer-with-irritation kid's hair wear, which comes to resemble a Carmen Miranda hat gone berserk. But underneath the silliness, On Account of the Gum harbors a substantive, empowering message. To borrow the book's idiom: There's a point to all of this rat-a-tat rhyme/ It turns out the kid had the cure the whole time."
—Shelf Awareness
"Rex serves a delightful and laugh-out-loud read. . . . The timing is perfect, as the page turn lands the punchline. . . . [On Account of the Gum is a] grand comedy that will engage readers and please Rex’s many fans."
—School Library Journal
"[A]lready giggling audience[s will] burst into belly laughs."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books