The Nutty News    by Ron Barrett Order:  USA  Can Knopf, 2005 (2005) Hardcover, Softcover      Reviewed by J. A. Kaszuba Locke Read all about it! Get the latest headlines in The Nutty News, '80 Pages Of News That's Cracked', offering black and white cartoons and headliners by Ron Barrett. The book is modeled after a newspaper. Front- and back-page top headlines read: 'Martians Bring Laundry To Earth', and 'Kids Prefer Nutty News To Nothing', respectively. Side headlines get attention too: 'Boy Stores Sneakers in Nose!'; 'Family Haunted By Crazy Cartoons'. Katherine Molt, owner of the Sun-Brite Laundry in Armada, Michigan says of the Martians' clothing, 'Their lace cuffs are heck to iron,' (considering they have more than a few arms)! And a special notice reads: 'Clothing not picked up in 30 days will be worn by the owner'. Bobby Jarlips is a happy youngster in a picture with the headline 'Dinosaur Arrives In The Mail!'. Yup! Bobby got a brontosaur (and it is BIG) delivered by postmen to his door. What does mom say? 'I think maybe it was sent to some other Bobby Jarlips who lived here three million years ago'. Youngsters will enjoy the story on page 13 - 'One-Minute-A-Day School Opens!' is the caption over a drawing of a school not much larger than a telephone booth. Students enter via one door appearing gloomy, and exit the other side laughing and cheering. The school daily schedule reads, 'Math...15 seconds, Social Studies...15 seconds, Gym...3 seconds, Lunch...12 seconds, and English...15 seconds.' Teacher Mr. Spede reports on the 'new kind of school' concept - 'IFWETEACHFASTTHEKIDSWILLLEARN'. I recommend reports on politics, a day in the park, the stock market, the exercise salon, the first exclusive interview with a plant, and the 'Muttropolitan Museum of Art'. Ron Barrett takes credit: 'Written and drawn by former newsboy and illustrator of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.' (The latter was written by Ron's wife, Judi Barrett, and the team of Barrett & Barrett also hatched Pickles in Pittsburgh.) The Nutty News makes an excellent source of news (and giggles) for all ages, and an exceptional, extraordinarily crazy gift! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews