Hattie & Hudson

Title:

Hattie & Hudson

Author:

Summary:

It's a summer day so beautiful and peaceful that Hattie, paddling in her canoe in the middle of a lake, can't help but sing. In the deep water below, a creature is lurking. He's huge and green, with a long, long neck and he rarely leaves his lair. But on this day, he hears something sweet and inviting. He hears a song. What happens when the creature rises to the surface is nothing short of magical. Can a young girl and an enormous lake monster become friends? Together, can they save the beast from the frightened townspeople, who can't see beyond the creature's massive size?

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 30 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Girls -- Juvenile fiction.

Singing -- Juvenile fiction.

Lakes -- Juvenile fiction.

Monsters -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

Individual differences -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Candlewick Press,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9780763665456

Publication Information:

Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2017.

Call Number:

P VANDUSE

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003243139	Picture Books	VANDUSE	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A little girl and her colossal friend teach a monster-size lesson about prejudging others in a charming offering from Chris Van Dusen.

Hattie McFadden is a born explorer. Every morning she grabs her life jacket and paddles out in her canoe to discover something new on the lake, singing a little song on her way. When her singing draws up from the depths a huge mysterious beast, everyone in town is terrified -- except Hattie, who looks into the creature's friendly, curious eyes and knows that this is no monster. So Hattie sneaks out at night to see the giant -- whom she names Hudson -- and the two become friends. But how can she make the frightened, hostile townspeople see that Hudson isn't scary or dangerous at all? Chris Van Dusen brings his colorful, perspective-bending artwork to this satisfying new story about acceptance, friendship, and sticking up for those who are different.

Author Notes

Chris Van Dusen is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He was born on St. Patrick's Day, 1960, in Portland Maine. After high school, he studied fine art at The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. He graduated with a BFA in 1982.

Van Dusen spent more than ten years as a freelance illustrator and his work appeared in magazines like Nickelodeon, Family Fun and Disney Adventures. He published his first book, Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, in 2000. In addition to his own work, he has also illustrated numerous books by other authors, including Kat DiCamillo's Mercy Watson series.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 3-Hattie McFadden is a young explorer who loves canoeing on a nearby lake. As she contentedly paddles along, she hums a happy tune. The girl's cheerful singing intrigues a lonely green monster, who ventures out from his deep and dark watery lair. Curious, the gentle giant gazes into Hattie's eyes and joins in the song, "harmonizing with a low rumble." While the other townspeople react with fear and loathing, Hattie befriends the peaceful creature and names him Hudson. When a town hall meeting is organized to get rid of "the Deadly Beast," Hattie is distressed and sagely says, "If only they knew him." Together, Hattie and Hudson devise a plan to dispel misconceptions. Van Dusen's stunning illustrations offer unique perspectives, from an aerial view of Hattie first making eye contact with two glowing eyes beneath the silvery water to a vertical spread of Hudson triumphantly emerging in the sunlight with Hattie perched on his head. VERDICT This eloquent, evocative book about compassion is perfect for sparking discussions on prejudice. A sensational choice for a seasonal storytime.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.