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King Kong's Cousin

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King Kong's Cousin

Hardcover

$18.99

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Hardcover
$18.99

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Overview

From bestselling author-illustrator Mark Teague comes a laugh-out-loud, black-and-white picture book introducing Junior, King Kong’s cousin!

Junior wants to be as big and as strong and as special as his cousin, Kong, but he always seems to come up short. Kong climbs skyscrapers; Junior is afraid of heights. Kong does whatever he wants; Junior does chores. When Junior’s beloved cat gets stuck in a tree, will this be his chance to save the day?

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665912303
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	08/30/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	431,652
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 8 Years

About the Author

Mark Teague is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books include Fly!, King Kong’s Cousin, We Are Going to Be Pals!, and You Are Not Sleepy!. He is also the illustrator of Cat Dog, written by Mem Fox; The Bat, Cat & Rat series, written by Ame Dyckman; and the New York Times bestselling How Do Dinosaurs...? series, written by Jane Yolen.

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Editorial Reviews

06/06/2022
While building-size King Kong plays big cheese in the Big Apple, his far more diminutive cousin Junior lives an ordinary New York City apartment life with his mother and beloved cat, Bernice. Kong stars in movies and wrestles dinosaurs (heroic actions uniformly viewed as the stuff of celebrity); Junior hangs laundry and feeds his goldfish, Larry. Junior’s mother insists that he is “just as special as your cousin,” but Junior’s not so sure; he constantly checks his height, exercises, and even sneaks a snack of “Super Grow Fish Food.” On Thanksgiving Day—Kong is the city parade’s grand marshall, of course—Bernice gets stuck in a tree, and Junior doesn’t think twice before climbing up to rescue her (even though the ground is “very far away”). Teague (Cat Dog) tells his story with elegance and emotional authenticity; grayscale acrylic art winks at the classic film with details that reward close reading, while Junior’s yearning to be like his huge cousin scans more like a low-grade fever than an obsession—one mitigated not by a grand act of heroism but by helping someone he loves. Ages up to 8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Teague’s engaging text, which introduces the cousins through a series of contrasts, leads readers to admire Kong and to love Junior. A rewarding picture book that's fun for reading aloud."

8/1/2022 - Booklist

08/12/2022
PreS-Gr 1—It's hard for Junior, a normal gorilla living in a New York apartment building with his mother and cat, Bernice, not to compare himself to his famous and much bigger and stronger cousin, King Kong. Kong wrestles dinosaurs and climbs skyscrapers, while Junior does chores like hanging laundry and feeding his goldfish, Larry. Junior doesn't believe his mom, who says, "You're just as special as your cousin." Readers see him lifting weights, eating bamboo, and marking his height in valiant attempts to measure up. Then Junior attends the Thanksgiving Day Parade (where Kong is grand marshal, of course), where he completes a sweet act of heroism when he's able to rescue Bernice from a tree. In a charming nod to black-and-white films, Teague's illustrations depict sharp contrasts between Kong's heroic and exciting life and Junior's normal one. Young readers will love seeing that Junior can be a hero in his own right. VERDICT This story would work well for a preschool read-aloud and will be welcomed on the shelves by children who strive to be taller and stronger. An easy purchase for public libraries.—Carrie Voliva

School Library Journal

2022-05-11
Junior, a young gorilla, grows up in the shadow of King Kong, his far more famous cousin.
The comparisons between the two are constant. King Kong is as big as a building; Junior is small enough to live in an apartment. While King Kong is as strong as four elephants, Junior is only about as strong as Bernice, his cat. Kong scales skyscrapers; Junior climbs up on the piano bench. And King Kong does “heroic things,” while Junior feeds his goldfish. Junior has grand dreams, though, so he eats his bamboo, does his exercises, and keeps track of his height on the wall to make sure he is growing big and strong, just like his famous cousin. When his beloved Bernice is in danger, Junior proves that heroism does not require massive strength but strength of character. Teague’s appealing grayscale acrylic illustrations and vintage New York City scenery recall the golden age of film in which King Kong was first made famous. This is a cozy family read to enjoy together and reiterates the vital lesson that even small people can do great things. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A timeless lesson combined with vintage vibes for a comforting read-along. (Picture book. 2-6)

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