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The Children’s Book Review | July 12, 2019
Written by Vance Durrington
Illustrated by Melissa Bailey
Age Range: 2-6
Publisher: Booklocker.com, Inc. (February 15, 2019)
ISBN: 978-1644380277
What to Expect: Rhyme, Humor, Repetitive Refrain, and Flies
There is nothing like the summer heat to bring out all of the pesky flies. Author Vance Durrington and illustrator Melissa Bailey take this irksome theme and turn it into a playfully enjoyable picture book that will be appreciated by young listeners as well as newly independent readers.
The story begins with the illustration of a young girl being bothered by a fly buzzing around her head, and the words:
“The sun was shining bright.
It was a splendid day!
But a pesky fly
Would not go away.”
The fly continues to bother her before moving on to pester her grandmother, sister, brother, dad, and mom. All of them repeat this catchy refrain:
“Go away, pesky fly!
Stop pestering me.
Your buzz buzz buzzing
Will drive me crazy!”
It isn’t until the fly lands on the girl’s snoozing dog that they find some respite.
Melissa Bailey’s illustrations add comical flavor to the pages with the expressive faces that show the disdain that each family member feels as the fly lands on them—Gran’s “no flies” t-shirt is a fun touch, too.
If you are looking for something unexpected and fun to add to your summer reading list, The Pesky Fly is a catchy little story that would go down well pool-side with some sliced watermelon, while snuggled upon a soft towel.
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About the Author
Vance Durrington is an author and teacher in the College of Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He enjoys playing with his dogs and teaching. When it comes to writing, Vance writes different stories that pop into his head when he visits with young readers of his books (having an imagination is also valuable). Vance has been married to his wife Jeanne for 27 years. They live with two shelter dogs: Belle and Sassy (she has lived up to her name).
About the Illustrator
When she was a little girl, Melissa Bailey dreamed of illustrating children’s books. She loved them, but actually illustrating one was impractical and improbable, right? So she grew up and worked “real” jobs — but dreams can come true, with a little (okay, a lot) of effort! Now she’s the full-time illustrator of 49 children’s books and the author/illustrator of Pug Is Happy (2018), with more in the works. She lives in rural Michigan surrounded by playful poodles and art supplies.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This non-biased review of “The Pesky Fly” was sponsored* by Vance Durrington. Learn more about getting a book review …