"Then the exploring party was assembled.
They were a ramshackle bunch but each
member had a duty essential to the journey.
walk at the front and tell others what to do.
tell everyone which way to go.
gather plant samples along the way.
collect creatures native to the land.
Oh, I love this tale of children and their boundless imagination! Five intrepid explorers (and a dog) set off on a hazardous hike across wild country between one house and another, tasked with the delivery of a very special parcel.
The text, as the story moves forward, is narrated dramatically and has readers fully intent on the progress the explorers are making. A different tale is told in the refreshing, amusing artwork that accompanies each new stage of their journey. Robert, their leader, is encouraged by a bathrobe-wearing parent to take on the mission. As they go, they lose one member, then another to a variety of issues. In the end, only two reach their destination, where a surprise awaits them.
Listeners will giggle as their interest remains high for everything that is mentioned in the storytelling and shown in the captivating artwork. I think it would be a perfect book to read first without showing any of the spreads. Imagine the real surprise when, upon rereading, the pictures tell a completely different story, full of charm and humor. There is a lot of detail in the images created for readers' entertainment as this 'ramshackle bunch' does its very best to complete the task given. It's a perfect book to be read again.
It is one terrific readaloud, and one of my favorite illustrated books this year.
"Their story will not be forgotten."
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