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Although Mac and Mac are as hollow-headed as, well, noodles, they're always coming up with brilliant schemes. For instance, they're absolutely certain Mom will bake them a cake if they gather some firewood for her. But when their friend Meatball offers to trade them a handful of firewood seeds, the gullible brothers can't foresee what will happen next. . .
Illustrated by Tedd Arnold, whose Fly Guy series is a kid favorite, this graphic novel is perfect for comic fans and reluctant readers, with short, funny chapters following Mac and Mac through ridiculous adventures. Full of wordplay, jokes, and slapstick humor, the Noodlehead series is sure to delight.
Based on traditional world folktales and stories of fools, the Noodleheads also encourage critical thinking, inviting kids to use their noodles– spotting the holes in the brothers' grand plans, and anticipating how things will go awry.
Source notes from professional storytellers Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss provide more information about the traditional stories that inspired Mac and Mac's mishaps, showing how these comic motifs feature in folklore and legends all around the world and offering opportunities for further reading.
This easy-to-read series is an accessible introduction to stories of fools, and a great next read for fans of the Fly Guy books.
A Junior Library Guild selection!
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
January 30, 2017 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780823438105
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 1.8
- Lexile® Measure: 400
- Interest Level: K-3(LG)
- Text Difficulty: 0-2
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Reviews
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Starred review from March 1, 2017
K-Gr 3-The creator of Fly Guy follows up Noodlehead Nightmares with another hilarious and engaging anthropomorphic book full of wacky slapstick. Brothers Mac and Mac are the titular heroes, and, yes, they are literally pieces of pasta. They are also, well, noodleheads: the literal-minded brothers are incapable of understanding metaphor or grasping simple concepts. The humor is similar to that in the "Amelia Bedelia" series, and youngsters will laugh knowingly at the noodleheads' ridiculous antics as they bumble their way through to a happy conclusion. The author's note explains the worldwide tradition of tales of fools, their use in helping children learn logical thinking, and the specific stories that inspired the noodleheads' adventures. The cartoonish artwork captures the over-the-top feeling of the narrative perfectly. Children will doubtless ask for more titles starring the hapless brothers. VERDICT A funny and lighthearted addition to early graphic novel and beginning reader collections; fans of all things goofy will devour the noodleheads.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Starred review from January 15, 2017
Two thickheaded macaroni noodles prove the old adage: a fool and his firewood are soon parted. Fools have been called "noodleheads" for centuries, but until recently few have represented the term quite so literally. Mac and Mac aren't the brightest pieces of pasta in the world, but their hearts are in the right place. Here, the two decide to help their mama out by gathering firewood in hopes that she'll bake them a cake. As they are attempting to cut the very branch they're sitting on, a passing meatball points out that they are mere minutes away from bruised bottoms. When his words come to pass, our heroes decide the meatball is clairvoyant and demand to know their future. Drawing on and smoothly weaving together a variety of folk tales, the brief graphic novel describes how its obtuse protagonists single-mindedly seek cake, even as they anticipate death, purchase "firewood seeds" (aka acorns), and accidentally dig their mother a garden. Emergent readers will appreciate the simple text, short chapters, and comics-inspired paneled illustrations. Adults will appreciate the authors' note, which goes into some detail about each chapter's folk origins. Two delightfully dense heroes bring folk tales into the 21st century, and young readers are all the richer for it. (Graphic early reader. 5-9)COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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July 1, 2017
Foolish Noodleheads Mac and Mac (Noodlehead Nightmares) hope their mother will bake them a cake. While searching for oven firewood over the course of three easy-reader chapters, they are tricked, bamboozled, and outsmarted. The brothers' silliness, wordplay, and comics format are engaging, but the pacing and the connection between scenarios feel forced. An author's note links each exploit to an original story source.(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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