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January 4, 2018 by Travis Jonker

Challenge: Solve This Library Mad Gabs

January 4, 2018 by Travis Jonker   7 comments

Mad Gabs

Working in a library with 550 patrons between the ages of 4 and 10 has really improved my ability to decipher pronunciations of all kinds. Basically 10% of my job amounts to me playing a one-sided game of Mad Gabs with a five-year-old who is desperately trying to tell me a book title.

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You know the game Mad Gabs, right? You pull a card that says something ridiculous like this:

Ape Hand Hub Hair

and you try to get your partner to say a common word or phrase. In this example it would be this:

A panda bear

Well I encountered a bit of a book title Mad Gabs stumper the other day. A student came up to me and said this:

Honey Honey Tan Pillow

I had the student repeat it:

Honey Honey Tan Pillow

Aaaaand one more time, please?

Honey Honey Tan Pillow

And then I had it. I went to the shelf, found the book, and handed it to the smiling student.

Here’s my challenge to you: what was the book this student was looking for? Share your guess in the comments. I’ll give a copy of the book in question to the first person who correctly names it.

One guess per person!

*UPDATE* We have a winner! You can see the correct answer from Carol in the comments.

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About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Benji Martin says

    January 4, 2018 at 8:16 am

    I thought I’d be able to figure it out, but I’m at a loss. My best guess is Tiki Tiki Tembo?

    • Travis Jonker says

      January 4, 2018 at 8:37 am

      Way to give it a shot! That’s not it, though.

  2. Tracey Elrod says

    January 4, 2018 at 8:57 am

    Last year, I had two separate students ask for Tractor books. When I showed one of them the Otis series, she said, “No, tractor books…like Junie B. Jones is a tractor book….” I immediately knew the section she wanted to visit…..

  3. Carol Fazioli says

    January 4, 2018 at 9:34 am

    Hungry Hungry Caterpillar

  4. Carol Fazioli says

    January 4, 2018 at 9:41 am

    Ugh- meant VERY Hungry Caterpillar

    • Travis Jonker says

      January 4, 2018 at 9:54 am

      You got it Carol! Email me at scopenotes@gmail.com to claim your prize

    • Barb Gogan says

      January 4, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Very good! When I had my husband say the words to me, I realized I knew it but couldn’t quite get
      the words out of my brain.

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