Why Can't I Spray Today?

by Francine Poppo Rich

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0967460204
• ISBN13: 9780967460208
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Blue Marlin Publications
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 10.4"
• Age Range: 1 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

Definitely NOT ridiculous!

I think this book is a great way to teach kids about their special gifts that are unique only to them--not necessarily a book that attempts to teach self-control in a "ridiculous" way, as one fellow reviewer wrote. And I completely disagree that we can teach self-control to children only by involving them in "real-life" situations. For example, we don't teach children about the dangers of fire by going out there, starting a fire, and then telling children not to follow our leads. No. We get a nice, big, animated bear with a hat to bring the message. Children completely relate to anthropomorphism. Yes, most publishers do know that--espcially the publisher of this book!

An entertaining story with charming artwork.

Why Can't I Spray Today? is the poetic, picturebook story of PeeWee Pipes, a young, playful skunk who discovers that he cannot make his tail sprayer spray just because he thinks it's fun to do so. He learns that he must treat his spray with respect and use it only when he is in danger. Along the way to this insight he slips and slides, jumps and hides, and even toe-taps and prances. The last page of Why Can't I Spray Today? includes factual information about skunks and their behavior along with a photo of Jezebel, an actual baby skunk who inspired the creation of PeeWee Pipes. Rich's entertaining story is engagingly showcased with Thomas Bone's charming artwork.

Highly Recommended!

What a wonderful find! This story about a young skunk named PeeWee Pipes is truly a gem. I originally purchased this book for my goddaughter, but I loved the book so much, I bought one for myself. In fact, I used it as part of a lesson I did as a speech pathologist working with children. Not only is it educational, the story is beautifully written as well. The perfect cadence of the words used to describe PeeWee's playfulness makes this story a joy to read out loud. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has children, or works with them!

The Next Barney or Arthur?

My 3 year-old son and 1-year old daughter want to know when they can read the next adventure of Pee Wee Pipes? I can't figure out the attraction to Pee Wee Pipes any more than I can understand why they are mesmorized by Barney or Arthur. I can tell you that the illustrations that bring this character to life are superb, the writing evidently resonates with the intended age group (a touch of Dr. Zuess?) and there was something to be learned while having fun doing so. Bravo!

What a terrific, little find!

What a fantastic, little story about a young skunk who is sad because he can't get his tail sprayer to spray. The great thing about this book is its ability to reach several age groups through its simplicity. There are only a few sentences on each page, so the very young child can view a moving picture of a skunk in all its most playful positions. Three- and four-year-olds can read, laugh at, and talk about a black and white skunk named PeeWee Pipes who has a tail sprayer that is malfunctioning, and the older child (five- or six-year-old) can turn to the last page and learn some important facts about actual skunk behavior and eating habits. I'm an early childhood educator and can't wait to read this book to my students! It will be a keeper in my classroom library.