Matt Novak Book Pillow War

Book Description
The feathers fly when Millie and Fred can't agree on whom their dog, Sam, loves best.

"He's my dog," Millie yells.

"He's mine," yells Fred.

So Millie Bops Fred. And Fred bops Millie. And before long, the whole world is at war - a pillow war.

But who will win? And where is Sam, who started it all? This spirited bedtime tale by a master of whimsy is sure to keep young readers coming back for more.
Reviews
FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Rhyming verse sets the boisterous story in motion, and boldly hued acrylic paintings cluttered with particulars will likely tickle young funny bones. When siblings Millie and Fred argue over who gets to sleep with their dog, Sam, the two grab their pillows and "[fight] down the stairs/ out into the street,/ where their neighbors joined in/ with pillows and sheets." As a growing cast of pillow-toting, pajama-clad characters battle over land, sea and in the air, preschoolers can search out the principals in each bustling spread and follow the amusing antics of a menagerie of animals caught up in the frenzy. After a large pile of pillows lands on Fred, a sympathetic Millie says they can take turns sleeping with Sam. But where's the pooch? An ironic twist ends this appealing bedtime romp. Ages 3-6.

FROM SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

Kindergarten-Grade 3?When Millie and Fred argue over who gets to sleep with their dog, Sam, the pillow war begins and feathers fly. Novak's cartoon style is a perfect foil for this typical childhood experience told in rhyme. As the battle escalates into bigger arenas, from their bedroom, down the stairs into the streets, and on the seas, ending up all over the world, the double-page spreads become increasingly busy, peopled with more and more kids frenetically bopping pillows. The ending is back down to earth, in the bedroom, and characteristically resolved with brother and sister agreeing to take turns with Sam. Clever details in the illustrations add to the whimsy of this imaginary adventure; e.g., Sam in a snorkel mask and lying on his back in the water and being rowed by three mice with pancake turners. The crowd scenes add a "Waldo" touch and the mice are familiar characters from Mouse TV (Orchard, 1994). It's a madcap escapade that becomes a nightcap story that likewise pretenders will smile over.?Julie Cummins, New York Public Library

FROM BOOKLIST

A funny-bone tickler that little ones will like. Millie and Fred can't agree about who gets to sleep with Sam the dog, so they grab their pillows to fight it out. "They fought down the stairs / out into the street, / where their neighbors joined in / with pillows and sheets," with the battle becoming ever more raucous and crowded. It takes Fred's falling victim to a thick crush of pillows to halt the wonderful mayhem and force the children toward a compromise. By then, however, smart dog Sam has developed a plan of his own. The rhyme is catchy, and the pictures are a riot of color and pattern, filled with pillow-wielding children in pj's going down slides, swinging from rooftops, and sailing across the sky in boats. There's even one special feast-for-the-eyes double-page spread that begs kids to pick their favorite characters out of the crowd.