"The only other creatures that tangle with
porcupines are fishers, but they're clever
enough to avoid the quills.
Porcupines can't climb down trees
headfirst like a squirrel.
So a fisher will approach from above
while the porcupine tries to shimmy
down backward. It's a messy business."
Our young narrator is on a mission to find her pesky pup, Peppermint. She invites readers to follow along while she also introduces the woods where she lives. Leaving the chickens behind and crossing a log bridge, we are off.
While she explains what readers are seeing, Peppermint is also having something to say in accompanying spot pictures. The first stop is in a grove of white pines, the tallest trees in her forest. After sharing what she knows about them, and completing a page in her journal, she is off to another spot where hemlock trees hold pride of place and provide shade for a passing creek and its trout. They also keep porcupines happy in all seasons.
Her journal shows the memory of a run-in that Peppermint had with a porcupine in the spring. She also lets readers know that fishers are too smart to be a victim of a porcupine's quills. She would dearly love to see a fisher! And so the search goes ... from one part of the forest to the next. The journey is awash with memories, scientific facts and a love of nature. There is much to hold interest and to learn as we follow her lead from one place to the next.
Many changes are explained for those interested in the area's growth over the years. Talking about them inspires further memories that reflect on what is being shown. From porcupines and fishers to sheep pastures and glaciers - always embellished with 'another quick story', readers are regaled with entertaining and enlightening information. She is a talkative one.
In final pages, the search for Peppermint ends when he is found with his head stuck in a hole still trying to catch an elusive red squirrel. Wait! Can those be fisher tracks? The trek ends with a lovely surprise and a note from Mr. Eaton that explains this book is based on family experiences in the forest where he and his family live.
There is a lot to digest as readers are introduced to the many wonders of the forest. The illustrations offer a sunny day in nature while also sharing many personal stories from the author's life. There's a lot to take in - all done through panels, speech bubbles, graphs and Peppermint's pop-up additions to the tale.
Back matter includes a note from the author about his home and a map showing the Adirondack Mountains, sidebars about porcupines and fishers, and a list of “a few good forest books.”
"Well, thanks for walking with me.
I always see something special when
a friend comes along.”
No comments:
Post a Comment