Arthur's First Sleepover: An Arthur Adventure - Softcover

Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.

Brown offers yet another Arthur adventure-his 20th-that entertainingly taps into a familiar childhood experience. Here Arthur is planning his first sleepover party in his tent. Nothing-neither local reports of a spaceship sighting nor best friend Buster's mother's initial reluctance to let her son attend-can dampen the young aardvark's enthusiasm. He even has his camera at the ready lest the aliens drop in, so he can snap pictures and sell them to the National Requirer. But after trading baseball cards, eating pizza and fighting with pillows, Arthur, Buster and the Brain see an eerie light. Is the spaceship about to land? As usual, Brown's art contributes significantly to the fun: the boys make amusing welcome signs for their potential visitors ("We are your friends"; "Please do my homework"); and the vision of the petrified pals running blindly through the yard, tangled in their collapsed tent, will bring on plenty of snickers. Kids definitely like to read about themselves, and Brown knows well how to make Arthur everykid. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.