Cool Anthony wants to play in the sandbox with the girls. Even though he has a bucket, a shovel, and a really big car, the girls totally ignore him. He jumps high, lifts a branch, and slides headfirst down the slide. He still doesn’t get a glance. Mad, he builds the biggest house in the world, which collapses. He cries. Only then do the girls notice him and give him a cookie. But then, along comes Luke with bigger, better toys. Spare, cartoon illustrations extend the simple text. 2007 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. mjw

Originally published as Anton und die Mädchen in German by Carl Hanser Verlag Germany, in 2004. Translated by Nancy Seitz.

Anthony has a bucket, a shovel, and a really big car. But the
girls playing in the sandbox don't look. They don't even look
when attention-seeking Anthony does his best trick. Is there
nothing he can do to turn their heads his way?

In dazzlingly deadpan text and art, Ole Könnecke hilariously
demonstrates how easy it is to stumble when trying too hard to
make a splash. After all, as parents know and children will
learn, it's not about what you've got but about how much heart.