School Library Journal

Gr 3-5- More than 100 years ago, a small boy tumbled down the stairs and was picked up by Harry Houdini in what became a historic moment. "Gee, that was some buster the kid took!" The backstage baby was soon performing with his vaudeville parents and grew up to become a famous movie producer and performer. Keaton tells of his childhood fascination with movies. His father's disapproval of them led teenage Keaton to run away to New York, where he fell into company with moviemaker Fatty Arbuckle. Though the text runs below the variously grouped picture frames in fairly standard picture-book fashion, Brighton's cartoon drawings shaded in umber and gray tones have a graphic look quite appropriate to the comic subject. The account ends with a brief look at the elaborate stage falls typical of Keaton's movie humor, and a full-page author's note gives added information on his career. A few recommended films are appended; they should nicely extend the introduction to this larger-than-life performer who is likely to be little known to today's children.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston