Scieskza, Jon. 1998. Squids will be squids. Illustrated by Lane Smith. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN: 0-439-23320-8.
Squids Will Be Squids: Fresh Morals, Beastly Fables is a delightful book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. This duo continues their clever fun in retelling traditional literature in fun, new, modern ways. (Their other books include The True Story of the The Three Little Pigs , The Frog Prince Continued , and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.) Aesop’s Fables have been around for hundreds of years. Scieszka’s book examines the fables that might have been written if he [Aesop] were alive today and sitting in the back of the class daydreaming and goofing around instead of paying attention and correcting his homework like he was supposed to, because his dog ate it and he didn’t have time to run out and buy new paper and do it over again before his bus came to pick him up in the morning(2). In the Serious Historical Foreword Scieszka provides his readers with a humorous—although helpful—history lesson on Aesop and his famous fables. For example, Scieszka writes, fables have been around for thousands of years. And it’s no wonder. Because even thousands of years ago people were bright enough to figure out that you could gossip about anybody—as long as you changed their name to something like Lion or Mouse or Donkey first. He continues by introducing his own fables in this way, These are beastly fables with fresh morals about all kinds of bossy, sneaky, funny, annoying, dim-bulb people. But nobody I know personally. Really. Their humor (Scieszka’s words and Smith’s art) is brilliantly abundant in Squids Will Be Squids.
Squids Will Be Squids is a collection of eighteen modern and humorous fables. The majority of the fables consist of one page of text and one full-page illustration. Most of the fables are unconnected except for a running gag about one elephant’s forgetfulness about calling home. Elephant is featured in three fables: Elephant and Mosquito, Elephant and Flea, and Elephant & Gnat. In the first fable, Elephant is out with his friend, Mosquito. The two lose track of time. When elephant wants to call home so his parents won’t worry, mosquito tells him that calling home is a waste of time. Elephant arrives home only to face punishment for not calling home. Scieszka’s moral was Don’t ever listen to talking bugs (10). In the second fable, Elephant is out with his friend, Flea. The two lose track of time because they’re enjoying the movie. Elephant is running late to see his other friend, Rhinoceros. He didn’t call because he had no money – spent it all on popcorn. Rhinoceros is mad. The moral was, Elephants never forget except sometimes (22). In the third fable, Elephant (or Old Elephant) is out with his friend, gnat. The two lose track of time. Elephant is once again talked out of calling home – this time calling his wife – by a talking bug. Mrs. Elephant is angry and never forgets. The moral this time was, Don’t forget the other moral about talking bugs, and always, always, always call home (35). These fables are a good example of the types of fables found in Squids Will Be Squids.
There are many other types of humorous fables. Sometimes the moral is the best part of the fable, and sometimes the fable itself is well written. For example, Scieszka’s morals include such familiar lines as, Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,Don’t play with matches, It takes one to know one, and There are some things we don’t talk about at the dinner table. While all of these fables are funny – at least on some level – some are better than others. My personal favorite is the first fable which is entitled Grasshopper Logic. In this fable, Grasshopper procrastinates doing his homework. He wants to have fun for as long as possible. When he does finally start his homework, he asks his mother for help. He has to rewrite twelve Greek myths as Broadway musicals. Write music for songs. Design and build all sets. Sew original costumes for each production (3). When his mother asks him how long he has known this was due he answers with this classic line, I don’t know. The moral of the story is clear, There are plenty of things to say to calm a hopping mad Grasshopper mom. I don’t know is not one of them (3).
Scieszka’s fables capture the humor of these everyday occurrences quite well. People of all ages can relate to these fables. Although I feel adults are more likely to enjoy Squids Will Be Squids at its deepest level.
Scieszka’s book concludes with a Very Serious Historical Afterword in which they tell the fate of Aesop. Aesop was thrown off a cliff by an angry ruler who recognized himself as the Lion. Scieszka’s final moral was If you are planning to write fables, don’t foret to change the people into animals and avoid places with high cliffs (42).
Lane Smith’s illustrations are wonderfully unique. They capture the wit and humor of Scieszka’s text perfectly. Together they make a great team.