Review - Iggy Peck, Architect

Iggy Peck, Architect
by Andrea Beaty
illustrated by David Roberts
Date: 2007
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Meet Iggy Peck—creative, independent, and not afraid to express himself! In the spirit of David Shannon's No, David and Rosemary Wells's Noisy Nora, Iggy Peck will delight readers looking for irreverent, inspired fun. Iggy has one passion: building. His parents are proud of his fabulous creations, though they're sometimes surprised by his materials—who could forget the tower he built of dirty diapers? When his second-grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up! With Andrea Beaty's irresistible rhyming text and David Roberts's puckish illustrations, this book will charm creative kids everywhere, and amuse their sometimes bewildered parents.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is probably the weakest book in the series I've read so far. I wasn't thrilled with the story (although the kid building stuff out his his dirty diapers was an amusing feat). I don't like seeing female characters fainting; it just perpetuates old stereotypes. And the meter in this one, for whatever reason, was clumsy. It was really a stretch in places, and it would be a bit difficult to read aloud.

Quotable moment:

"Good Gracious, Ignacious!" his mother exclaimed. "That's the coolest thing I've ever seen." But her smile faded fast as a light wind blew past and she realized those diapers weren't clean!

Premise: 2/5
Meter: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2.14 out of 5