I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

Written to the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," this lighthearted frolic by the creators of "I Like Myself!" centers on an aspiring young artist who makes elaborate paintings on the ceilings and walls, until mama shouts, ""Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!"" and stashes the boy's art supplies on the top shelf of a closet. Determinedly declaring "but there ain't no way that I ain't gonna paint no more," the youngster climbs onto a makeshift pyramid to reach his paints -the only splash of color in an otherwise black-and-white spread. The rollicking rhymed narrative and stylized ink-and-paint illustrations then reveal the narrator painting his body parts in a variety of wild patterns, while -with comic irony -he chants the refrain that comprises the book's title. In a child-tickling finale, the boy bellows, "But I'm such a nut, / gonna paint my -/ "what"?!" drolly avoiding mentioning the body part that completes the rhyme. Given the plot's premise, Catrow's humorously hyperbolic art fittingly takes center stage here, growing increasingly flamboyant and electric as the boy embellishes more and more of his anatomy -and his playful pooch becomes equally well decorated. Ages 3-7. "(Apr.)"

Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2 -When Mama catches her son "paintin' pictures on the floor/and the ceiling/and the walls/and the curtains/and the door," she sticks him in the tub and declares, "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!" Fresh from his bath, the child rescues his hidden supplies and says, "So I take some red/and I paint my -&/HEAD!" Subsequent rhymes move from neck down to feet as he adds gobs of color to different areas. Since the last word of each verse comes on the following page, readers get the satisfaction of completing the anticipated rhyme and seeing each newly painted body part with each page turn. Catrow splashes color all over, uses white space cleverly, and includes playful flourishes, such as a marching row of ants on the boy's arm and Easter egg designs on his leg. Elongated figures and exaggerated expressions match the silly tone of the story, and the concerned dog who observes the antics is particularly amusing. With rhymes that invite audience participation and scenes that draw the eye, this is a strong storytime choice. Based on the song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," the rhythmic text can be read or sung with equal effectiveness. In a mischievous conclusion, when readers think that the boy has painted everything, he finishes with, "But I'm such a nut, /gonna paint my -/WHAT?!" Fortunately, he's out of supplies and winds up back in the bathtub. -"Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.