“Billy can be very difficult to please. Show him something very tall ... and he’ll say ' . . . whatever.’ Show him something very small . . . and he’ll say 'whatever.’ ” The curliest trumpet, the bounciest castle—none of the wonders his father points out draw a reaction from the determinedly unimpressed Billy. Even the world’s hungriest tiger only merits a “whatever”—until the tiger gobbles Billy up. Children will relish the satisfying conclusion, as Billy’s fed-up father retaliates with his own jaded response (you guessed it—“whatever”) to his son’s predicament. William Bee owes a huge debt to Maurice Sendak’s Pierre (Harper & Row, 1962) , but his cleverly composed digital illustrations and perfect pacing merit the attention of a new generation of children. Substituting the fresh flavor of “whatever” for Pierre’s “I don’t care” gives the timeless story about the price of rudeness an up-to-the-minute sensibility. Highly Commended, 2006 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 4–7)

A gleefully wicked book for bedtime or any time. - BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS (starred review)
Special gift size edition Billy can be very difficult to please. Show him something very tall or very small, and he'll say, Whatever. Take him for a ride on the smokiest train or the speediest spaceship -- it doesn't matter; Billy's reaction is always the same. What might the surly boy say if he were eaten by a hungry tiger and his dad gave him a taste of his own medicine? William Bee's wry illustrations give an amusing new spin to a familiar scenario that will have both children and adults laughing in recognition. This new mini edition is a perfect gift.