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40 pp.
| Candlewick |
February, 2021 |
TradeISBN 978-1-5362-0947-1$16.99
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PS
Bear is out for a drive in his pink pickup truck when he has a slight accident--he hits an acorn blocking the tree limb he's driving along. (The book's setting is the woodlands community of Whiskers Hollow, and all the animal characters are miniature.) Bear recruits friends Rabbit, Mouse, and Donkey to accompany him on a road trip to Elephant's Old Junk Tree to find a new headlight for the damaged truck. A small but absorbing adventure ensues involving rickety bridges, snacks, dark tunnels, a tower of junk, more snacks, a huge mud puddle--and a very child-pleasing way to get cleaned up. Light's book has a distinct Arthur Geisert vibe, with etching-like illustrations full of enticing and humorous detail, such as the furnishings of the characters' homes inside hollow trees or stumps. Rabbit is always on the lookout for something to eat, and that house contains an empty refrigerator; homebody Mouse's abode features a cozy fireplace and armchair; adventurous Donkey's yard is scattered with all kinds of gadgets and vehicles. Endpapers provide a map of Whiskers Hollow, helping young viewers place the various locales of the story and follow the trajectory of the friends' (ultimately successful) journey.