reviews

Ryan Recommends Lucas

Ryan is a huge fan of Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces, and wants to let everyone know how great she thinks it is. Her mom, Alissa, said, "This is one of Ryan's favorite books now. We've read it almost every night since we got it about two weeks ago. I think it's a great story, too. We've got lots of books about things like monsters jumping on the bed and stuff like that, but this book is different. It's fun, it's an adventure! And you don't have to be 5 years old to really enjoy this story."

"Lucas doesn't tie his shoes and that's a good thing, too, or we would not have his fun filled adventure caused by his long, loopy and knotted laces that catch everything in them. They catch grass, mud, and even TOADS just to name a few! Lucas has no end of trouble from his untied laces following along behind him as he travels everywhere from earth, sea and sky and back again. This is a wonderful story told in rhyme and you can't miss Lucas' long colorful laces as they drag along behind him. My three and a half year old grandson laughed with every new object Lucas' laces collected. Children of all ages will love this story!" -- J.D. Holiday, author of Janoose the Goose

"'Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces' is a delightful, creative paperback book for children ages 3-8. The surprising illustrations are almost all black and white except for the rainbow colored long, loopy laces that entangle and entwine everything and everywhere from the gnomes in the garden to a whale in the sea and robots on the moon. The teasing, rhyming text and fantastic pen and ink drawings are completely mesmerizing. What will Lucas and his long, loopy laces get tangled up in next? The suspense builds and stretches young minds to a satisfying conclusion with a moral to boot ('Tie your shoes before pedaling your bike!')." -- Midwest Book Review

"Did you ever buy a pair of tennis shoes where the laces were so long that you could double, triple, or even quadruple tie them? Well, Lucas doesn't tie his shoes, so his laces are full of loops and get knots in them. One day, he goes to the park, and his laces catch all kinds of animals and plants. Then when he rides home on his bike, his laces capture even more things. Can you imagine what happens with his laces when he is forced to walk the plank into the ocean by his friends with whom he is playing pirates, then is blasted into outer space by a whale? What will he do with those comets and stars that get trapped in his laces?

"The rhyming text by author Krystal Russell and the black and white line drawings, with just a touch of color (for the laces), by Cody Frusher combine to tell an imaginative story that little ones will find quite an amusing adventure. And any child who has ever tripped over those extra long laces, or had any other problems with them, will be able to relate personally to Lucas's plight. Maybe, just maybe, Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces might be a gentle reminder for some children to make sure that their shoes are tied before going out! It is a cute book that I found very enjoyable." -- Wayne Walker, Stories For Children Magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BOY REFUSES TO TIE SHOES, MOON FALLS FROM SKY AS RESULT
New children's book details unpredictable consequences of untied shoelaces

Okmulgee, OK--Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces is a delightful new picture book that details the wild and amazing things that happen to a young boy who doesn't tie his shoes. The picture book was written and illustrated by two Oklahoma natives and OSU-Okmulgee graphic design graduates, Krystal Russell and Cody Frusher.

In playful rhyme, Krystal Russell spins a long, loopy adventure through the imagination of a young boy who would rather do anything but tie his shoes. As he travels to outer space, beneath the sea, and everywhere in between, everyone he meets gets tangled up and pulled along with him, including the moon and its inhabitants.

Unlike many other children's books, Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces is illustrated in black and white ink drawings, with only the shoelaces themselves having any color. The charming line illustrations by Cody Frusher keep the vibrantly traceable shoelaces in focus while highlighting the uniqueness of everyone Lucas encounters. Children and adults alike will enjoy spotting the odd and outlandish things his laces tangle with before the exciting conclusion.

Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces [ISBN 978-0-9823519-0-1] is currently available for $10.95 from Tall Tails Publishing House (www.talltailspublishing.com) and the Ingram catalog.

About Tall Tails Publishing House
Tall Tails Publishing House is an independent children's book publisher dedicated to providing beautifully illustrated and inspirational stories for children of all ages. It was founded in Okmulgee, Oklahoma in 2008. Lucas and His Long Loopy Laces is their first book.