Busy, Busy Moose - Hardcover

Amy Rusch lives with her family in Wisconsin, where they often find tracks of forest animals, big and small.

Kindergarten-Grade 2-This companion to Moose Tales (Houghton, 1999) follows Moose and his friends Beaver, Squirrel, and Rabbit through a year of activity. In "Fall," Moose watches his smaller companions busily preparing for colder weather. Not having to gather food, he stands alone with nothing to do, until a flock of birds lands on his antlers and provides him with a job. "Winter" finds the large animal ferrying his friends across the pond to visit Beaver's new home, even though he is too large to enter it himself. In "Spring," Moose finds that he has become a nesting spot for a baby bird, until a sneeze returns the youngster to his mother. "Summer" allows time for Moose and Beaver to prepare special surprises for one another. Presented on spreads, full pages, and in smaller vignettes, the ink and colored-pencil illustrations balance the text nicely. Warm colors create a cozy setting for these endearing woodland creatures, and reflect the quiet tone and gentle humor of the writing. There is enough phrase repetition to suit newly independent readers, and these delightful stories could also be shared aloud. An appealing addition to easy-reader shelves.
Lisa Smith, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY
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