Author: Jacqueline Davies
Genre: beginner chapter book
Similar books: Fox & Rabbit by Beth Ferry
Kitty and Dragon by Meika Hashimoto
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow . . . until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized . . .
My opinion: As with most beginner chapter books, the plot of this one is quite simple and follows a pretty predictable arc. This allows the young reader to easily follow the plot and focus more attention on reading skills and building comprehension. While they have big dreams of adventure, their exploration is very limited and constantly beset by complications in the form of natural barriers. While Sydney and Taylor are animals with some human characteristics (they talk, walk on hind legs, carry a backpack, etc) they also retain their animal instincts and often behave in standard animal ways. It's possible to use this book to discuss fantasy and reality in books with a young reader.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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