Lazy Little Loafers

My almost third grade son likes reading this book to himself and to others...because it's written from the perspective of a child about his age. He likes the tongue-in-cheek humor that helped him learn more about sarcasm as a form of humor in a fun loving way. It reminds both of us of a song from Sandra Boynton's Rhinoceros Tap called Bad Babies, a very fun and silly song from a similar point of view.

My husband picked this book up at the library last week and my son was so tickled by it, he had to make sure I sat down so he could read it to me today. He is 4 1/2 and even with the sarcasm and lines like "Is it possible they don't work but still go out for a three-bottle lunch and get a little tipsy?", he thought it was hilarious (even if he doesn't really know what tipsy means)! The little girl narrating the book reminds me of the gothy Lydia from the movie Beetlejuice. Of course the entire concept of babies being good-for-nothing slackers is ludicrous and my kid loves absurdity. If you want to encourage a well-rounded sense of humor in your child, I definitely recommend this book.

As a children's librarian at a public library, I think this book is great. As with any book, it is for a particular age range and while I would not be able to use it for storytime, I know my 7 year old nieces will love it. A wonderful addition to our collection.

My grandaughter has enjoyed "Lazy Little Loafers" a whole lot. And I'll be honest: so have I. Of course, I'm spectacularly immature at the age of 59. I have been head over heels in love with Orlean's writing "voice" for years. If you enjoyed her adult books "The Bullfighter Adjusts Her Makeup" and "The Orchid Thief" you -- and the child of your choice -- will probably get a kick out of "Lazy Little Loafers.''

We got this for our 5-year-old, who loved it and asked to hear it over and over; even better, our nine-year-old also enjoyed hanging out nearby and listening. A really fun, engaging read.