“Billy can be very difficult to please. Show him something very tall ... and he’ll say ' . . . whatever.’ Show him something very small . . . and he’ll say 'whatever.’ ” The curliest trumpet, the bounciest castle—none of the wonders his father points out draw a reaction from the determinedly unimpressed Billy. Even the world’s hungriest tiger only merits a “whatever”—until the tiger gobbles Billy up. Children will relish the satisfying conclusion, as Billy’s fed-up father retaliates with his own jaded response (you guessed it—“whatever”) to his son’s predicament. William Bee owes a huge debt to Maurice Sendak’s Pierre (Harper & Row, 1962) , but his cleverly composed digital illustrations and perfect pacing merit the attention of a new generation of children. Substituting the fresh flavor of “whatever” for Pierre’s “I don’t care” gives the timeless story about the price of rudeness an up-to-the-minute sensibility. Highly Commended, 2006 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 4–7)

Billy says 'whatever' to everything. Dad has shown him the tallest giraffe, the smallest butterfly, the world's curliest trumpet and the steamiest train. Things change though when Billy meets the world's hungriest tiger and is promptly gobbled up. 'I'm still in here Dad', yells Billy. 'Whatever' says Dad!