Beaten by a Balloon Author:Margaret Mahy A whimsical parody of politically correct parentsSam Appleby's dad won't make him a sword, or even let him play with a water pistol. Instead, Dad buys Sam a nice, nonviolent sunflower and a balloon. But when Dad and Sam find themselves being threatened by the dread robber Buckbounder, they learn there's more bang in a sunflower than they could h... more »ave ever guessed... This bit of inspired silliness comes from the incomparable team of Margaret Mahy and Jonathan Allen. Booklist said of their last collaboration, The Three-Legged Cat, The plot is deliciously ludicrous....The broad wit of the watercolor illustrations ensures that kids will tune into the humor of the story.« less