boulevard of backyards
an ant was struggling with
the remains of a picnic.
The work was hard and
she was weary. With a
heavy sigh, she persevered,
though each blade of grass
seemed to thwart her on
this hot and humid day."
Written beautifully, and with glorious and brilliantly designed artwork, the Emberleys retell a fable from Aesop with their own lively twist. If you know the story of the industrious ant and the laid-back, music-loving grasshopper, you will know that it is meant to teach a lesson in preparing for the days to come.
Ant is so busy collecting picnic leftovers that she is ready to collapse from the heat and the gruelling work. But, she plods on. While making the trip back to her colony she hears the music of the grasshopper and 'his buggy band'. They seem totally oblivious to anything but the music, and she is taken by the beautiful sounds, and energized by their 'work'. It helps her forget the sheer heft of the watermelon slice she is carrying.
The grasshopper encourages her to stop and join in their fun. It is not in her nature. She is very appreciative of their sound and tells them so. When she can't take the time to linger and listen, the grasshopper makes a hasty decision...the band will 'take the show on the road'. They provide incentive for the ant to continue on her path, while distracting her from the drudgery of the work at hand. They even agree to join her underground where it is much cooler, a needed respite from the heat of the day.
The art is captivating and offers a bright, buggy world filled with brilliant color. The collages are delightfully designed to keep readers' eyes moving around the pages, taking in all of the action. The bug-eyed main characters have such spirit, and presence on the page. Then, there is the music in the words!
"The grasshopper thought for a moment. "Well, baby, our music might be red hot, but we like to be cool. Sometimes it's hard to catch a break out there on the boulevard."
The ant smiled her funky little smile. "It's cool under the ground in our colony. Please come and share your music, and we will have a party!" Party on, everyone!
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