Monkey Business

Overview: a Canadian children's illustrator who won the 2002 Governor General's Award for his book Alphabeasts. He is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art. On October 16, 2007 Wallace Edwards was nominated for the Governor General's award (children's book illustration) again, for his most recent book, "The Painted Circus." To date, Edwards has published five books, of which three have been nominated for this, Canada's most prestigious literary award.

award-winning Children’s Book Creator Wallace Edwards Explores Popular Idioms In Comical And Unexpected Ways. Each Page Is A Rich Puzzle To Keep You Guessing Again And Again.

publishers Weekly

as He Did In Alphabeasts, Wallace Pairs Deadpan Text With Multilayered Illustrations That Are At Once Humorous And Absurd, Likely To Elicit Grins From Both Adults And Children. His Latest Title Focuses On Idioms (a Definition Of The Term Appears On The First Page), With A Cast Of Anthropomorphic Animals Set In Bizarre Situations. All The Scenes Make Jokes That Should Have Easy Kid Appeal. Owen, The Literal Bull In A China Shop, Unconsciously Manages To Entwine His Horns, Tail And Cane Around Several Ceramic Pieces (not Again, He Sighs). A Walrus Who Had No Intention Of Sharing His Cupcake Sports A Candy Cane In Place Of A Tusk (a Real Sweet Tooth). Attentive Readers Can Also Spot A Monkey Hidden In Each Scene-these Visual Tricks And Other Hide And Seek-type Games Echo Graeme Base's Works. Among His More Obvious Gags, Wallace Also Inserts References And Items Aimed Squarely At Adults, Which Will Assuredly Be Lost On Young Readers. Visual Impossibilities And Intricate Patterns Tucked Into A Number Of Scenes Echo Escher, While A Fish Out Of Water (named Gloria) Happens To Be Riding A Bicycle In A Nod To Ms. Steinem. The Detail And Humor That Wallace Packs Into Each Scene Should Help Ensure The Book Won't Be Just A Flash In The Pan. All Ages. (sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

From a fish opening a "can of worms" to a tap-dancing octopus putting his "best foot forward," these familiar idioms are re-imagined by award-winner Wallace Edwards in hilarious and unexpected ways. To help readers "stay on the ball," the idioms are used in a sentence that accompanies each illustration, and the meaning of each idiom is explained at the end of the book. Every page is so richly illustrated that it is sometimes a challenge to find the hidden monkeys --- some are more easily spotted than others! A playful introduction to idioms, a clever eye-spy book and a gallery of stunning animal portraits, this collection is more fun than a barrel of monkeys! From "let the cat out of the bag" to "snug as a bug in a rug", these familiar sayings are reimagined in hilarious and unexpected ways. To help readers stay "on the ball", the idioms are used in a sentence that accompanies each illustration - and the meaining of each idiom is explained at the end of the book A collection of idioms, including a tap-dancing octopus putting his "best foot forward" and a fish opening a "can of worms," features illustrations that invite readers to find the hidden monkeys throughout the book