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*Ugly Guide to Things That Go and Things That Should Go But Don't (Uglydolls)* by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim
 
Ugly Guide to Things That Go and Things That Should Go But Don't (Uglydolls)
by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim
Grades 2-3 64 pages Random House April 2008 Paperback    

When he’s on the road, Babo drives a chocolate chip Cookie Cruiser. When he’s in the water, he uses his boat the S.S. Uh-Oh. The Police use the specially designed Long-Arm Supremey, the False Getaway Car and the Sidecar Tiluxe for their jobs in Uglyverse. Wage has a choice of Big Tow truck, Bigger Tow truck, or Tow-A-Town Robo Tow truck when he’s working in town. Deer Ugly’s Antleromeo vehicle blends in nicely with his forest surroundings, and only Uglyworm could stomach driving in the Golden Uglyworm. One look inside Ugly Guide to Things That Go and Things That Should Go But Don't proves the modes of transportation in Uglyverse are as unique as its inhabitants.

Twenty-four in number and counting, the Uglys have their own looks and personalities. Cinko has three eyes, no ears, a pear shaped body, and he hates water. Ice-Bat has small wings, pointy ears, a blue body, and he likes to be in control.

The Uglyverse is bursting with cleverly designed vehicles that match both the appearances and the needs of their owners. If water spills in his car, water-hating Cinko can quickly exit through the escape pod that comes with his vehicle. Ox and Wedgehead have a handy feature on their vehicle as well: their Speedy Throw Express truck was built with a powerful and precise parcel-throwing arm. One swing of this robotic arm brings the mail directly to the proper address by noon.

Uglydolls is the most misleading name ever! The Uglys don’t smile, and they are not symmetrical. They have teeth or tongues hanging out of their lipless mouths, and no noses under their varying number of eyes. Some have ears and others don’t. Some have hair, while others have horns. But despite their creature features, the Uglys look quite innocent. I think it’s their eyes that do it. With those wide-open and unblinking eyes on their faces, the Uglydolls look harmless on every page.

Bright, eye-catching colors are used throughout this book. The two-page spreads describe neighborhood spots or individual vehicles seen in Uglyverse. With the Uglydolls in the driver’s seat, the authors take us on a road trip around town, while the Uglydolls communicate or comment with us and each other using word balloons.

As user-friendly and efficient as the vehicles may seem, life in Uglyverse does have its drawbacks. It can be an expensive, crowded world. There are guaranteed long waits in line at the Department of Ugly Vehicles and the Ugly Rest Stops, and the businesses don’t have the most customer-friendly staff working for them. A clock at the bank says “Now is not the time,” and a sign on the counter reads “You are not next.” But whether the Uglys are in the air, on the land, or motoring through the water, it feels like life is celebrated in Uglyverse. This isn’t Richard Scarry’s Busytown, but it’s just as entertaining to explore. Ugly Dolls have the potential to win hearts of any age.

Uglydolls started out as illustrations David Horvath drew on his letters to his now-wife, Sun-Min Kim. Now the Uglydolls can be seen in books, on toy store shelves and on the Internet. This is the second book in the Uglydoll series first created in 2001. The Uglydolls won of the Toy of the Year award in 2006.
 
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  Tanya Boudreau/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book  






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