What Are You Doing, Benny? - by Cary Fagan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From New York Times-bestselling illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton and award-winning author Cary Fagan comes a charming sibling story that has the makings of a contemporary classic.

Benny's little brother is really good at a lot of things -- making potions and paper airplanes, building forts, putting on puppet shows, even petting the neighbor's cat (he has a special way of scratching her just behind the ears). But whenever he tries to join in Benny's activities, all Benny ever says is "No." Maybe his little brother can watch him do cool stuff, if he's lucky. What is a little fox to do, except give Benny a taste of his own medicine? Totally familiar yet fresh and original, tenderly told and consistently funny, this story perfectly captures the joys (and annoyances!) of sibling relationships.

Review Quotes

One of CCBC's Best Books for Kids & Teens 2019

PRAISE FOR What Are You Doing, Benny?

"Relating the tale in the first person by the younger fox in child-friendly dialogue and with delightfully imaginative imagery, Fagan treats the sibling relationship with humor and kindness, leading to a win-win outcome. . . . A lovely, gentle exercise in getting along." --Kirkus Reviews

"Children who are part of a sibling group will identify with these characters making this title a popular addition to a personal, public or school library." --Resource Links

"This is an excellent and realistic portrayal of the balance and kindness of sibling relationships." --School Library Journal

"Offer[s] concrete solutions by encouraging kids to test their assumptions, employ communication instead of negative self-talk, or, when all else fails, go it alone and make your own fun." --Quill & Quire

About the Author

CARY FAGAN is an award-winning author for children and adults. His kids' books include Mort Ziff Is Not Dead, the Kaspar Snit novels, the two-volume Master Melville's Medicine Show, Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas and the picture books Little Blue Chair and Mr. Zinger's Hat, winner of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He has also won the Jewish Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, and has been shortlisted for the Silver Birch Award (five times), the Rocky Mountain Book Award (twice), the Hackmatack Award (twice), the Norma Fleck Award, the Shining Willow Award and others. Cary lives in Toronto with his family.

KADY MACDONALD DENTON is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling illustrator. In 1998 she was awarded the Governor General's Award for A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Her books have also won the 2008 Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize, the 2006 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award and are regularly featured on the Junior Library Guild Selection and the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens list. Her illustrations for Bonny Becker's A Visitor for Bear and its sequels are instnatly recognizable around the world.