The Araboolies of Liberty Street

Synopsis
"The General and Mrs. Pinch rule the residents of Liberty Street, prohibiting all laughter, activity, and games. Joy and the other youngsters who live there are unhappy but there is nothing they can do about it, as the General threatens to call in the army for the least infraction of his orders. Then the Araboolies, who speak no English and who change skin color on a daily basis, move in. . . . Life becomes chaotic, exciting, wonderful, and fun--until the General calls in the army to remove the house and the Araboolies because they are different. . . . Ages six to twelve." (Booklist)

Annotation
The kids of Liberty Street join forces to help the Araboolies when mean General Pinch orders them to move because they look different.

From the Publisher
Illus. in full color. "The General and Mrs. Pinch rule Liberty Street, prohibiting all laughter and games. Joy and the other youngsters who live there are unhappy but there is nothing they can do about it. Then the Araboolies, who speak no English and who change skin color daily, move in. Life becomes chaotic, exciting, and fun. This sure-fire plot, destined to woo readers, offers the welcome message of tolerance. The crisp text and autumn-muted paintings are a triumph of energy, enthusiasm, and design. Excellent to share with older readers, thought-provoking at any age."—(starred) Booklist.

From the Critics
From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly  
On Liberty Street, where all the houses look alike, General Pinch and his skinny wife are in charge. Whenever it appears that anyone is having fun, the general threatens to call in the army; in this way, he keeps the neighborhood quiet and dull. Enter the Araboolies, undefinable creatures of lively, fun-loving temperament and psychedelic color combinations. The Araboolies are ``not the neatest people in the world, truth to tell,'' for they put furniture in the yard and even watch TV outside. When General Pinch makes good on his threats and calls in the army to vanquish the group, a girl named Joy resists. Her efforts pay off; the Pinches are carted off instead of the Araboolies. The many-sided satire on fascism is wordy and repetitive, and the only focus on a child character--Joy--occurs two-thirds of the way through. But the messages of freedom, individualism and tolerance are strong. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
 
From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly  
General Pinch successfully squelches any attempts at joy-making on Liberty Street until the Araboolies arrive. "The many-sided satire on fascism is wordy and repetitive," said PW. "But the messages of freedom, individualism and tolerance are strong." Ages 4-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
 
From School Library Journal  
Gr 2-5-- When the colorful, noisy, multihued Araboolies move to conventional, quiet Liberty Street, General Pinch and his wife are horrified. And when the Araboolies paint their house in bright zigzags, camp on the front lawn, and engage the neighborhood children in wild and joyful games, General Pinch calls out the army. Quickly the children decorate every house with paints, banners and balloons, leaving the General's house as the ``weird one'' on the block. Following orders to find the house that is different, the soldiers tie up the Pinch's house and drag it away. Brightly colored, sweeping, full double-page paintings enliven this modern fable of people vs. government. Swope's message may well be that diversity and individuality are good, but what comes through in the story is the sense that modern neighborhoods, no matter how ordinary, exist under the threat of military enforcement. The fact that the children of the neighborhood are able to cover up the radical individualism of the dissident family and turn the tables on the General himself gives no comfort. The pictures are full of action and entertainment, and the book can prove useful--not for the lighthearted story that was probably intended, but for consideration of the seldom-discussed role of the military in modern societies. The creators of this book, perhaps unwittingly, have produced that rarity, a picture book that deals with political issues as well as more subtle social themes of tolerance, conformity, and the rights of the individual in a community. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
 
From Carol Muske - The New York Times Book Review  
There are echoes here of Daniel Pinkwater's 'Big Orange Splot,' as well as stirring evocations of Danish citizens who in World War II wore yellow starsto show their solidarity with the Jews. Political and social morals abound. . . . This is a first book for both the author and the illustrator, whose style--both the light and the characters--is reminiscent of Edward Hopper. Did Mr. Swope, the author of this very vivid and entertaining tale of fair play and poetic justice, consider the ramifications of a too-literal interpretation of this text, or the bedtime explanations parents might feel obliged to append toit? For example, 'This is an allegory, kids! These characters are symbols!Do not try to "disappear" our neighborhood grouch!'