for Arnie the Doughnut
	A New York Times Book Review "Notable Book" A Publishers Weekly "Editor's Pick" April 2003 see article here A Publishers Weekly "Best Children Books" 2003 see article here A Publishers Weekly "Tastiest-and Most Well-Rounded-Title Character" Award An Amazon.com Editor’s Top 10 Picks 2003 A Nick Jr. Magazine “Best Book of the Year” A Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best” A Chicago Tribune precinct pick for the holidays 2005 Great Lakes Great Books 2nd and 3rd Grade Winner  2008 Colorado Children's Book Award (CCIRA) The New York Times Laurie Keller is a goofball. She's a genius. She's a goofball and a genius…Keller has composed a variation on a theme of Charlotte's Web. Only -- here's the goofball genius part -- she has compressed all that book's charm into one-fourth the space with three times the laughs (giggles mostly, but also snorts and snarfs), using as a main character not a pig named Wilbur but a doughnut named Arnie. a chocolate-covered doughnut with sprinkles, infectious optimism, a wide emotional range, surprising resourcefulness and a handy facility with a cordless phone…. What happens next you must find out for yourself, though you may be assured that Arnie's journey of self-discovery, disillusionment and survival makes gripping reading.  And rereading. Keller's ideas froth and bubble well beyond the brim of her simple plot, and she has generously planted several books' worth of sight gags and witty asides in the margins and backgrounds of her dazzling acrylic-and-collage pages… It's seldom that you find such depth in a doughnut. Or such fun in a picture book. — Lawrence Downes See full review here. Publishers Weekly (starred review) Arnie, a chocolate-frosted with sprinkles, "knew that people all over town made special trips... to buy doughnuts of their very own." He reminisces fondly on the frying and cooling process that brought him into the world, and casually flirts with the apple fritter on the tray beside him. His na ve excitement suggests he does not realize his fate, confirmed by his comments after his purchase by Mr. Bing (" `Why does he keep me in this bag?' Arnie wondered"). When Mr. Bing tries to eat his breakfast, the title character reacts in disbelief. Arnie, after a near escape, borrows a phone to "warn the others," and learns that his fellow doughnuts sacrifice themselves freely: "Yes, we know! We're delicious!" they shout. Failing to foment rebellion, Arnie, along with Mr. Bing, must decide what a doughnut is good for, other than eating (" `I need a new bowling ball.' `Well, don't look at me!' " Arnie retorts). As in her The Scrambled States of America, Keller packs the spreads with comical stage business and extemporaneous asides. Roly-poly doughnut holes make fun of a jelly-filled ("Eeeooo! His brains are oozing out!"), a bear claw growls, and a beret-wearing cruller teaches Arnie to speak French. The hero himself, with spindly arms and legs and a hole where his nose would be, clowns around in the margins. Like Chris Raschka's Arlene the Sardine, this witty book calls attention to the foods people take for granted; unlike vacuum-packed Arlene, Arnie takes destiny into his own hands, with vastly entertaining results. (Apr.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Children's Literature Wacky writer-illustrator Laurie Keller's latest book is Arnie the Doughnut. This is the kind of title that makes reviewers cringe. Will it be yet another terrible children's book dominated by an anthropomorphic character that stands for a value the author wants to teach? This book is nothing but fun! Goofy caricatures and bright colors beckon from the cover, which tells us the book has been "cooked up by" Laurie Keller. Her stick-legged doughnuts start cracking on their author right away. "I'm sorry, but that girl can NOT cook!" comments one. "I know, I know-it's a figure of speech," explains another. These side comments set the tone and appear throughout the book, adding humor, word play and inviting children to wonder. Arnie is Everydoughnut, an existential pastry looking for truth and his place in the world. Arnie is a well-rounded character in more than physical appearance. We meet him fresh out of the fryer, newly iced, sprinkled, and named and already flirting with an unresponsive Apple Fritter who does not want to count his sprinkles. Right away Arnie shows his enthusiastic and positive nature, assuming "she's not a morning doughnut." Arnie waves goodbye to each and every doughnut purchased until he's bought by Mr. Bing and cushioned on the bumpy ride home by the soft napkin "the baker had so thoughtfully placed underneath him in the bag." Then Arnie is startled by a chain of events. Our hero learns that Mr. Bing intends to eat him, has eaten hundreds of doughnuts before, and most shocking of all, others of his kind are "aware of this arrangement." Arnie goes into "doughnut shock suffering severe sprinkle loss." But who can eat a doughnut with that much personality? Arnie's won the heart of Mr. Bing and his readers. Keller offers giant helpings of riotous one-liners, a voice that is sweetly upbeat and bitterly ironic, a delicious story romp, an luscious hero, and many opportunities for children to look beneath the sprinkles of a doughnut and imagine the world from Arnie's point of view. No obvious lessons here, they have all been baked into the story batter! --Susie Wilde, 2003 School Library Journal K-Gr 3-Similar in style and format to Keller's Open Wide (Holt, 2000), this fun-filled adventure takes readers to a bakery. A chocolate-covered doughnut serves as guide, describing each of the steps involved in the creation of various confections. Poor Arnie, however, is clueless as to why people buy tasty treats, and when he is sold to Mr. Bing, he is shocked to discover his fate. Refusing to be eaten, he devises numerous reasons why he should remain whole and ways that he might benefit his new owner. The story becomes quite silly, as both characters think of ridiculous alternatives to the traditional role of a doughnut. Arnie suggests, "I could be your chauffeur," and Mr. Bing replies, "But you can't see over the steering wheel." Then Arnie volunteers to be a bodyguard, and Mr. Bing quips, "Who could you protect me from-a cookie?" In the end, the pastry is substituted for a pet and becomes a "doughnut-dog," doing tricks, attending obedience school, protecting Mr. Bing's abode, and becoming his best friend. Done in acrylic paints and collage, the cartoon artwork flows all over the pages, showing a multitude of details and amusingly bizarre drawings. Filled with offbeat humor, this fantasy spoof also highlights Arnie's optimistic, can-do personality. Kids will eat it up.- Rita Soltan, formerly at Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Kirkus Reviews Keller (Toys!, 2000, etc.) gives "pet food" a new meaning in this savory outing. Proud of his sprinkles and chocolate icing, Arnie the doughnut takes his place at the bakery counter, and watches his tray mates depart with customers until it's finally his turn. His excitement at being taken out into the wide world in a paper bag changes to horror when he discovers that he's about to be eaten; fortunately, he is spared that fate, as the gent who bought him suddenly has no appetite for a talking doughnut. But if Arnie's not to be breakfast, then what? After rejecting several career alternatives (" 'You'd make a fine paperweight.' 'BORING.' 'How about an air freshener for my car?' 'How about not?' "), Arnie settles at last on becoming a doughnut-dog, and rolls on to a happily-ever-after as Man's Best Friend. Strewn with text lines, onlooking pastries, snappy side comments, unusual road signs, and other details, the frenetic postmodern illustrations may require more than one run-through to absorb-but so deliciously silly is this confection, that few readers will pass up second helpings. A tasty chaser for Toby Speed's Brave Potatoes (2000) or any version of the Gingerbread Man. Children’s Book Page A tasty adventure -- REVIEW BY ALICE CARY I had just returned from my hourly visit to Dunkin' Donuts when a copy of Arnie the Doughnut appeared on my desk. Obviously, my editor has me pegged. Were chocolate smudges somehow attached to my e-mails?Arnie is one of the cleverest, funniest books I've seen in a long time. This is hardly a surprise, since my son and I were fans of Laurie Keller long before she turned her attention to breakfast treats. The Scrambled States of America has been one of our favorites for several years. In that book, Keller characterizes each state with funny little faces and stick arms and legs, and she uses a similar technique to bring Arnie to life as a lively chocolate-frosted fellow with sprinkles. As in all of Keller's books, there's an abundance of witty text and amusing illustrations. The drama begins early in the morning when a balding, long-nosed man named Mr. Bing purchases Arnie from the Downtown Bakery and takes him home. After Mr. Bing puts him on a plate, then picks him up, Arnie says, "Isn't that cute? He wants to hold me." Alas, Arnie is soon stunned—and horrified—to learn that Mr. Bing plans to eat him. He is further traumatized, of course, when he calls the bakery to warn Mr. Baker Man of his predicament, only to be informed that the baker and all of the other doughnuts are well aware of the situation. Mr . Bing and Arnie next enter into lengthy negotiations about alternate ways that Arnie can be useful without being eaten, with each suggestion (bowling ball, picture frame, pin cushion—ouch!) meriting a fun-filled illustration. Finally, the two agree to part on good terms, but in the end they realize they need each other, and Mr. Bing devises an unusual role for Arnie to play. I don't want to spill the beans—I mean sprinkles—here, but let's just say the two end up as best friends forever. Arnie and Mr. Bing are such lovable, fun companions that I can easily envision a cartoon based upon this book. For now, simply head to your favorite bookstore, and while you're at it, you might as well make a little pastry stop. Just don't tell Arnie what you're up to!" Good for a belly laugh." --Newsday" Packed with fun and sprinkled with so many illustrative and humorous asides." -- Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN "In picture books, usually only dogs are as funny as this. Keller doesn't miss a trick." --San Diego Union Tribune "Keller's riotous collages. . . .which are filled with gleeful puns, winning characters, and over-the-top silliness, are as manic and fun as a sugar high." --Booklist" Off-the-wall humor and zany artwork" --Seattle Post Intelligencer