On Account of the Gum

A galloping and hilarious romp from start to finish (including the endpapers!), the story trips along and off the tongue in a spiraling stream of escalations all beginning with the classic problem of getting gum stuck in one’s hair. While perhaps they should have tried peanut butter first (we’ve definitely heard that works!), the clever inclusion of many of the old tricks for getting gum out of hair and the reliance on googling an answer (and realizing that not every site knows what it’s talking about) adds to the stories punch and pizzazz. Rex’s distinctive illustration style shines with bubble-gum-bold color choices, handwritten text of all colors and sizes and utterly expressive faces, creating a sense of action and business that belies the fact that the entire story takes place in a single and unmoving chair. Just when the excitement seems to be winding down, Rex hits readers with an ending that clicks perfectly into place for a moment of sheer genius—turns out it’s picture day!