Alphonse, There's Mud on the Ceiling!

Lovably rambunctious monster siblings Natalie and Alphonse are excited to go camping in the wilds of nature — without leaving their apartment.

Most of the time, Natalie and Alphonse like living in an apartment on the seventh floor. They have bunk beds to drive, a big green chair to hide behind and yell “Raaaar!,” sunflowers on the balcony to water, and almost enough hallway space for tumbling. But when they pretend to be wiggly worms crawling across the jungle . . . SHFLWUMP! Ow! That is not a good game for indoors! How can they explore the joys of nature in the middle of the city? In a playful ode to cooperation and imagination, award-winning picture-book creator Daisy Hirst presents a third adventure starring two relatable — and resourceful — siblings.Bold, bright colors against white space depict the familiarly fiendish family's third installment in a very familiar scenario, one that offers gentle guidance to caregivers as well as affirmation and inspiration to children. Imaginative play leads to inventive solutions in this sweet sibling tale.
—Kirkus Reviews

The story speaks specifically to the creativity of city children in their pursuit of interactions with nature, and the economy of language is impressive. There is a lot of plot and story squeezed into this picture book. And may we all just celebrate the gorgeous and perfect fact that Natalie finds a wild squirrel and names it Squilliam? Delightful.
—BooklistDaisy Hirst is the author-illustrator of two previous books about Natalie and Alphonse — Alphonse, That Is Not OK to Do! and I Do Not Like Books Anymore! — as well as The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head and Hilda and the Runaway Baby. She lives in London.