by Sam Juliano
Drywater Gulch had a toad problem.
They might not be quite as scary as Frank Miller’s gang from High Noon, but three lawless brothers referred to as ‘toads’ are terrorizing Drywater Gulch with their own brand of “hootin’, hollarin’ and cussin.’ You see these varmints are out to steal your gold, kiss your cattle and insult your chili, and without any kind of a challenge, Mayor McGuffin’s town is in for some criminal leadership.
In rides the sheriff -a young boy named Ryan- crawling on the back on a tortoise and sporting a white ten-gallon hat that would earn the admiration of Gene Autry. Upon arrival the Mayor asks him “What brings you to our spicy town?” The boy tells him he is the new sheriff, to which the Mayor asks questions you’d expect an affirmative answer to – Can you handle a shooting iron, ride a horse or do any rope tricks? Receiving a negative response to all he then pokes fun at his pint-size lawman, asking him if he stays up past eight. Again rebuffed he asks the boy how he can call himself a sheriff. The boy confidently comes out with the ‘great equalizer’ telling the Mayor he “knows a really lot about dinosaurs.’ The Mayor is mighty impressed and tells the boy “Pleased to meet you Sheriff.”
A loud boom is soon heard, and the Mayor knows well that the use of dynamite blew open a big hole in bank’s brick wall. Confidently asserting otherwise the Sheriff declares “T. rex don’t need no dynamite. Largest predator of the Cretaceous period.” Again against his better judgement the Mayor is impressed and tells the boy “Wow, you’re good.” Soon enough a stagecoach is robbed and the dynamic duo are quickly on the scene. The Mayor jumps in first, “Whaddya reckon, Sheriff, T rex?” This time the Sheriff shoots down the speculation, logically explaining that the T rex little baby arms ain’t fit for the intricacies of knot tying,” and that the real culprits are the Velociraptors. Jimmy, the stagecoach driver hears all this and concludes he was “mighty foolish” not to realize that dinosaurs were robbing him, instead of the believed Toads.
But this Sheriff is not one to reward satisfaction to anyone voicing an opinion, and he quickly corrects a prospector for believing it was “some crazy diney-o-saur” for stealing his gold, putting the blame squarely on the Toads he had previously exonerated. The Toads confront the Sheriff, who is busy hanging ‘wanted’ signs with the figures of dinosaurs. The big, mean one says “What? That ain’t right, we done robbed those!” The deceit continues with the Sheriff holding fast against the parade of admissions by the toads that includes shoplifting and chili pilfering. The Sheriff relates that the Allosaurus has “sticky fingers” and that the Stegosaurus is a “Herbivore who only eats plants; Whip up a batch of vegetarian chili and he’d surely take a shine to it.”
The toads are so incensed that the dinosaurs are being credited for their criminal activities that they admit to each and every illegal act, and force their way into the jail, triumphantly declaring “Ha! You can blow them dinersores out your nose Sheriff, this here jail is full of real bonafide criminals!” The people cheer as the Sheriff locked the jail good and tight.
Bob Shea, one of children lit’s most celebrated humorists, is also a big favorite with the the primary graders. Last year’s Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great (which Shea wrote and illustrated) was also a Caldecott contender, and early this year he released another popular title Don’t Play with Your Food. He is a rodeo finalist for his splendid light satire in Kid Sheriff, playing the central deceit of the boy’s knowledge of dinosaurs -heck what kid his age wouldn’t find this prehistoric species the most interesting subject of all? – straight, and having the real criminals so exasperated at this preposterous conclusion, that they’d rather spend time in jail than to have their glorious criminality be credited to a myth. Shea’s use of western slang is an absolute hoot, as is his delightful employment of genre trappings like the brick jail, the stagecoach, and the various western accouterments one associates with the Wild West. Shea knows full well the kind of hero that kids relate to -on of their own- and how divine it is that he institutes justice in a most unorthodox manner.
The illustrations in Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads are by the renowned two time Caldecott Honor winner Lane Smith. Smith, who won for his classic collaboration with Jon Szieska, The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales, and then again for his own Grandpa Green is a master stylist whose art rates among the exquisite in the business. His runner-up honor for Grandpa Green to this writer was rather a travesty, and one of the worst decisions ever handed down by a Caldecott committee. The book is one of the most extraordinary beautiful and emotionally cathartic of any released in the new millenium. Smith’s hedge cutting, exquisite use of pinks and pencil drawings was a tour de force of illustration, and easily the right choice in a year that Chris Raschka (I do love his Yo Yes! and some of his other work) was given a second Caldecott for the overrated A Ball for Daisy. Smith’s work in Kid Sheriff is wholly sublime. Yes, the brown and sand evokes the Wild West, and the unity of tone and shading is astounding, but what some may not readily realize is that the art yields some absolutely stunning tapestries. When Ryan crosses the desert on a toad, our eyes are treated to some dazzling cactus pencil drawings, with exquisite red and white cactus flowers and some gorgeous brown silhouettes for backdrop. Page after page offers up adventurous eye candy, fully transporting and with an acute eye for painterly beauty. Though the melancholic underpinning of Grandpa Green’s art has been replaced by comic illustrations, the actual art itself is arguably as exquisite in Kid Sheriff.
This is the second time Shea and Smith have collaborated, (they worked previously on Big Plans) and based on this major triumph, we can anticipate further associations. Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads is extraordinary in tone, humor, slang and physical beauty, and surely belongs on any Caldecott short list. It is a picture book masterpiece.
Note: This is the twelfth entry in the 2014 Caldecott Medal Contender series. The series does not purport to predict what the committee will choose, rather it attempts to gauge what the writer feels should be in the running. In most instances the books that are featured in the series have been touted as contenders in various online round-ups, but for the ones that are not, the inclusions are a humble plea to the committee for consideration. It is anticipated the series will include between 25 and 30 titles; the order which they are being presented in is arbitrary, as every book in this series is a contender. Some of my top favorites of the lot will be done near the end. The awards will be announced on February 2nd, hence the reviews will continue to the end of January.
This sounds like enormous fun, and what a fine, enthusiastic account you’ve given!
steal your gold, kiss your cattle and insult your chili
I think I could tolerate the gold-stealing and the Santorum-maddening cattle-kissing, but, oo, the chili-insulting might be hard to take.
Thanks so much John! Yes this one is truly one of my favorites, so I couldn’t help moving forward with spirited scrutiny. The book to be sure is enormous fun, and the art is just so ravishingly beautiful. Certainly a rarity to bring in this genre, and to have done it so well is a tribute to this pair of fabulous author-illustrators. hahaha I love what you say there about the ‘chili insulting!’ Thank you my friend! 🙂
You’ve pulled me in with this one Sam. Wow, that are amazing illustrations. I agree that lane Smith is a master. But so is Shea. This teaming up had no chance to fail. Again, you have provided a spirited validation in a splendidly written review.
Thanks so much for the very kind words Frank!! Yes, this one is really a big winner. A personal favorite.
Sam — I grew up on THE WILD WILD WEST with Robert Conrad and Ross Martin so I particularly enjoyed reading about this book! Here’s what I just posted on my Facebook wall with a link back to your fantastic review of KID SHERIFF AND THE TERRIBLE TOADS:
Put your spurs, chaps, and cowboy hat on and get ready to lasoo a highfalootin’ time with Kid Sheriff as he outwits the “Toads” — three lawless brothers who’ve been terrorizing Drywater Gulch. Up until now, that is, when a new, pint-sized sheriff arrives on the scene. Using his ten-gallon bevy of knowledge about dinosaurs, Kid Sheriff redirects criminal credit to prehistoric critters. The “Toads” can’t stand not being in the limelight for their shenanigans, so with fierce competition in their hearts, they end up taking themselves to jail where they’re cleverly put behind bars and Drywater Gulch is once again safe.
Just utterly brilliant Laurie!! Thrilled to hear you were brought up on this stuff–and your superb encapsulation is proof parcel of the impression it has made. Deeply appreciated my friend!!! 🙂
Sam, this is definitely one of your best reviews in the entire series. You really capture the humor and western flavor, and you are clearly very impressed with the art. As you know I also believe the Caldecott went to the wrong person that year Grandpa Green was given the honor.
Happy Holidays to you, Lucille and the gang!
Thanks for those very welcome sentiments and exceedingly kind words my friend!! Happy Holidays to you and your family!!
I have a similar addiction to Lane Smith. ‘The True Story of the Three Little Pigs’ and “The Stinky Cheese Man’ have been long time favorites. As far as to your registered complaint against the selection of ‘A Ball For Daisy’ over ‘Grandpa Green’ I will tell you that you are not alone.
I too think ‘Grandpa Green’ is one of the most gorgeous of picture books. I can see some of that art in this new book. Your review is super, one of the very best in the series. Love your western adornments.
So great to hear we are on the same page with GRANDPA GREEN Celeste!! And on Smith’s work in general. Thanks as ever for the very kind words!! 🙂