Beaver Ball at the Bug Club

The Beavers are preparing to throw a big ball at the Bug Club, and everyone is invited, including Miss Goose and Muskrat, who will entertain everyone with his fiddle.

Pre-Grade 1-- This toe-tapping song with nonsensical lyrics will delight youngsters. Primitive illustrations of busy beavers act out the rhyming phrases that appear in a few lines per page; the colorful paintings show lots of expressive action, and the sheer fun of it all will entice audiences. Be prepared to learn the melody on the last spread, because children will surely want to hum along with the text. The layout is clean and bright, with ample bordering. Double-page spreads give panoramic, energetic views of the song's images. A good purchase for rounding out collections of illustrated songs. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Short on plot, long on charm: that's the long and the short of this folksong romp. Readers know little about the gala ball or its raison d'etre, but the prospective attendees are agog with anticipation--"Old Man Muskrat's lookin' pallid / Fill him up on 'tater salad / Pluck his twanger / Slap his jaw / Send him down to Beaver Hall." The down-home, foot-stomping rhythms of this slight, nonsensical song are infectious; little ones will quickly take to such rhymes as "Cleanin,' preenin' " and "puff your muff." Since the lyrics are intended to be sung rather than spoken, however, their syncopated meter becomes occasionally awkward. Also, some may feel that the recurrent attempt at a countrified style--achieved by lopping off the final G from present participles--comes off as affectation. The animal cast depicted by first-time illustrator Kaghan is somewhat static--and rendered in a bland palette--but her detailed portraits are for the most part realistically drawn. Though anthropomorphic, these characters retain much of their innate expressiveness. The musical score appears in the back of the book; tune up your banjos, everyone. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.