The Great Antonio

A Cybils Awards Nominee!

Title: The Great Antonio

Author:  Elise Gravel

Illustrations:  Elise Gravel

Publisher:  Toon Books

ISBN:  97819431450809

Review:

When Antonio Barichievich was born in Croatia he turned out to be a very large baby. By the time he was a teenager, he could up root trees and carry them on his back. As a young man, he moved to Canada and by then he was huge. His clothes and shoes were so large people could use his shirt as a parachute. In order to satisfy his appetite, he would eat 25 chickens and a dozen donuts. He weighed in over 460 pounds. He got a job as a wrestler. He wrestled 10 men, and even bears. He was known as Antonio the Great.

Author Elise Gravel has created a fun non-fiction read that slightly resembles a comic book with its big cartoonish and colorful words. Hilarious oversized pictures demonstrate the enormity of the character. Short simple sentences are easy to read and follow. The inside cover has an actual photo of Antonio. The back of the book has tips for parents and teachers on how to read cartoons with kids.