The Rattlebang Picnic

Wonderful story of a family who chooses love and acceptance and can literally roll with anything! Sums up some of life’s truths in a beautiful way.

Anyone who grew up in a large family can relate to crazy family outings and the inevitable trade-off between fancy things and more children. We love this great book, especially the wonderful Steven Kellogg illustrations.

Margaret Mahy's exuberant "Rattlebang Picnic" is fun for everyone--parents and kids alike. The tale of an energetic family who likes to rattle around in an old automobile on trips hither and yon (to Shark Park, for instance!), this particular picnic turns into an adventure none of them will ever forget.The kids turn out to save the day--I won't tell you how--when they hit on an ingenious way to escape the danger threatening their bucolic meal. Steve Kellogg's rollicking, movement-filled illustrations perfectly suit the high-energy mix of the text, and there are lots of fun semi-hidden goodies for wee tots to find if they look closely enough. All in all, lots of good fun!

This is a really cool book. You can learn a lot from it because you learn not to picnic near a volcano. The McTavish family was very smart and lucky to have seven kids and their old rattlebang car and a grandma who always overcooked the food. We recommend this book for all young readers.