Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One

June 18, 2007
This energetic, comical collaboration rounds up seven new stories about the spunky siblings from Blume’s The Pain and the Great One
. First-grader Jake calls his older sister the Great One, “because she thinks she’s so great.” Abigail, in turn, has dubbed him the Pain “because that’s what he is.” In distinct, equally sassy voices, the two take turns narrating the tales, which capture slices of Saturday life. The Great One provides an imaginative solution when her brother refuses to get a haircut (because he’s afraid that the barber will cut his ears off), and describes her disastrous half-birthday sleepover party, at which the one friend who shows up refuses to spend the night. The Pain explains how he successfully wiggles out of playing goalie for his bungling soccer team, and tells of pet-sitting for his aunt’s dog and giving the malodorous mutt a shampoo and a tooth-brushing. And the Great One proudly recounts how she finally overcomes her fear of falling and learns to ride a bike. (“I can jump rope, turn an almost-perfect cartwheel, and make pancakes with hardly any help. The Pain is hopeless at those things. So how come he can ride a bike?”) Blume fills the duo’s narratives with playful bickering, banter and baiting, while slyly and satisfyingly revealing their mutual affection. Further animating the kids’ antics are Stevenson’s (No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling
) wispy illustrations, which feature many funny flourishes. Ages 5-9.

August 1, 2007
Gr 1-3-This book expands the picture book "The Pain and the Great One" (S & S, 1984) into a beginning chapter book. Third-grader Abigail calls her little brother "The Pain" because he causes so much trouble. Jake is in first grade and calls his older sister "The Great One" because she thinks so highly of herself. The book doesn't follow a traditional story arc; instead, it is a series of vignettes in which the children continually clash and then reconcile. While the stories are funny and sometimes poignant, often they're a bit heavy with sentimentality and nostalgia. The theme is that arguing with your sibling is part of the fun of growing up, but there isn't much child appeal in that adult perspective. How many kids enjoy being told that they really love their brother or sister, despite all the bickering? Nevertheless, the stories are sweet and accurately depict the growing pains of childhood. Stevenson's black-and-white ink illustrations are entertaining, particularly the drawing of mashed potatoes with peas strewn across the page. Overall, this is a successful effort with great illustrations and humor, but it's not an essential purchase: the picture book was more succinct."Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2007
The Pain and the Great One first appeared in a 1985 picture book.In this chapter book, theyget a fuller treatment thats just right for the audience.First-grader Jake is the Pain, the annoying thornin the side of the Great One (third-grader Abigail). The short, funny chapters point up the push-pull relationship between the siblings, but sometimes they focus on only one of the characters: Abigail cant ride a bike and worries about it throughoutone story;Jake has fun playing with his aunts visiting dog, despite thecanines serious doggy breath.A more tender side to the relationship comes out in a story in which they both appear. Jake is suddenly afraid of haircuts, so Abigail cuts cardboard covers to protect his ears, even as she denies its to help him. As one would expect from Blume, the book provides plenty of family-familiarfun, and Stevenson's signature ink artwork boosts the tale with amusing pictures that pull the reader along.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2007
First-grader Jake (named the Pain by his sister) and third-grader Abigail (called the Great One by her brother) are back in Blume's newest family story for young readers. Unlike its picture-book precursor, this is an illustrated chapter book for emerging readers, with chapters narrated by either the Pain or the Great One. Even though Jake and Abigail drive each other nuts, it's clear that they do care about one another. What else could explain the cardboard ears Abigail constructs to protect her brother's ears during a haircut? Or the way she helps Jake solve his soccer problems? And is that a smile on Jake's face when his sister finally learns to ride a bike? Blume gets the tone just right as this brother-and-sister team navigate the familiar waters of family life, and the whole package is greatly enhanced by Stevenson's droll (and plentiful) pen-and-ink illustrations.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2008
This book for emerging readers is alternatingly narrated by the Pain (first-grader Jake) and the Great One (third-grader Abigail). Even though they drive each other nuts, it's clear that they care about one another. Blume gets the tone just right as this brother and sister team navigates the waters of family life. The whole package is enhanced by Stevenson's droll pen-and-ink illustrations.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)