Russell Wrestles the Relatives

by Cindy Chambers Johnson, Daniel Duncan (Illustrator)

Overview

When the Relatives Came meets Wrestlemania in this rollicking picture book about a boy who spends his family reunion dodging his big, brawny, and boisterous wrestler relatives.

Family reunions mean lots of hugging, handshaking, and hair tousling. And Russell’s relatives? Well, they are more...enthusiastic than most. BIGGER than most. BRAWNIER than most. They’re wrestlers—from Lorry and Tory (the Twin Tornadoes) to Cousin Cora “The Cleaner” to Uncle “el monstruo” Marcoy! Skinny and scrawny Russell will have to meet, greet, and defeat this clan with some spectacular moves of his own in this vibrant celebration of what it means to be a family!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534444225
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	08/04/2020
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Cindy Chambers Johnson grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas, where she received her fair share of Kansas Crusher hugs and visits from far-flung relatives. (None of whom wrestled for a living—thank goodness.) Cindy’s interest in family ties and inherited traits led her to a career as a genetic counselor, but a love of reading and writing passed down from her mother led to her career as an author. Cindy now lives with her husband and two children in Des Moines, Iowa, and only administers the Texas Tickle Hold when absolutely necessary.

Daniel Duncan is an illustrator living in the UK who creates most of his work in an old stable turned studio. His work takes inspiration from cinema, old photos, and sports. Duncan graduated from Middlesex University with First Class Honours, and a bachelor’s degree in illustration. He was highly commended by Macmillan for the 2013 Children’s Book Competition, as well as being shortlisted for the 2014 AOI awards for the Children’s Books New Talent category.

Editorial Reviews

05/07/2018
Every kid expects a certain amount of “hugging, hand-shaking, and hair-tousling” when relatives come to visit. But for Russell, a family reunion portends something much worse: his aunts, uncles, cousins, and two grandparents are all professional wrestlers, complete with costumes (one relative dresses in a luchador-style outfit) and vivid nicknames, such as “the Texas Tickler” (Grandpa) and “Dorothy the Dropper” (Grandma). Russell feels scrawny in comparison to this beefy clan, and he assumes he’ll be “squished like a toothpaste tube.” But when he inadvertently extricates himself from the various familial clutches, he proves that he’s got moves that mark him as a chip off the old family wrestling block. Duncan (Shark Nate-O) effectively uses watercolor-and-ink cartooning to capture Russell in extremis, getting crushed by relatives; Johnson ties up the story with a heartwarming bow, with Russell realizing how much his WWE-style family loves him and how disarming—literally—a lovingly proffered kiss on the cheek can be. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Minju Chang, BookStop Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: James Burns, Bright USA. (June)

Publishers Weekly

2018-03-27
Mushy family reunions? With Russell's family they're more mashy than anything else.Russell is a scrawny kid, and with only one day left before the family reunion, he has yet to devise a plan to escape the tickles, hair-tousles, handshakes, and hugs. His family members are pro wrestlers, so get-togethers can get physical fast. Hiding doesn't get him past the opening doorbell. First his twin cousins "tag-team him with back-to-back Backbusters." Then his uncle "Iron Arm" Murphy grabs his hand for an Earthquake Shake. When his cousin "Cora, The Cleaner" grabs him for a Spin Cycle hug, Russell slips out of her hold. After another smooth escape, Russell suddenly has the moves and the confidence to thwart all attempts at hugging—but can he block Grammy Dorothy's trademark Kansas Crusher hug? Johnson's jokey juxtaposition of family togetherness and pro-wrestling silliness will strike both a chord and a funny bone for little listeners. Duncan's scratchy, colorful, digitally created, cartoon illustrations are full of goofy action and outrageous costumes. Russell and his mom are white, but skin tones and wrestler nicknames hint at a multiethnic extended family for Russell. When read with a TV-announcer voice, the exaggerated mayhem of text and illustration could make for a kooky KO at storytime. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews

Read More