Telephone

By Mac Barnett

A series of messages are sent to Peter, telling him to fly away from a monster lobster.

5.3/7 Bookroo experts·3.7/5 Goodreads · 2,299 ratings

40 pages· 130 words· Est. 1 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

A mother bird sends a message down the line for little Peter to come home for dinner. But as each bird passes it along, their unique interpretations twist the message into something unexpected. Will Peter ever receive the right call? This delightful tale turns a simple task into a comedic adventure, echoing the classic children's game of telephone. With each bird's quirky hobby adding to the confusion, readers will be left wondering if Peter will ever make it home in time.

From the publisher

It’s time to fly home for dinner! In this witty picture book from award-winning and bestselling author Mac Barnett, a mother bird gives the bird next to her a message for little Peter. But passing messages on a telephone line isn’t as simple as it sounds. Each subsequent bird understands Mama’s message according to its own very particular hobbies. Will Peter ever get home for dinner? This uproarious interpretation of a favorite children’s game will get everyone giggling and is sure to lead to countless rereads.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Words: 130
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture

Themes & topics

Books about listening Books about birds Books about communication Books about monsters Books about lobsters

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.3

out of 7

7.0

“My kids love this book. We have read it over and over again, and if something happened to our copy, I would immediately replace it. It has a clever premise--a message gets changed each time it's passed from bird to bird along a telephone wire--and gets sillier and sillier as it goes. The format and text makes it easy to use a lot of different voices and make funny noises, so it always results in giggles from my pre-schooler and toddler.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one