When a picture book begins with the dramatic opening line “On Friday, Llama will destroy the world,” it gets your attention. Jonathan Stutzman’s Llama Destroys the World is so ridiculous and hilarious that it works.
While the wide-eyed, self-assured Llama might have an end-of-the-week mission, much gets in his way—namely cake and LOTS of it. From that fateful moment on, the apple cart of Llama’s world is upset, leading to Heather Fox’s illustrations of big burps, tight-fitting (and eventually ripped) pants, silly Llama dances, amazing bologna sandwiches, well-dressed turtles and, well, black holes.
It’s all a playful, zany distraction for Llama as well as for young readers, who will remain glued to the fantastical illustrations and the impending sense of doom in llama’s unconventional world.
Will the black hole consume everything? Will there be another bologna sandwich? What will happen to the turtles with top hats? Will the universe right itself?
This is a super silly, amazingly original, best-when-read-aloud picture book. Thankfully, Llama really does rule the world here. This is a fine debut by this married author-illustrator team.
