School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-5-The quiet and predictable pond life of five animal friends is threatened one day as Cecil, a toad, notices construction on a new highway expanding in the direction of their habitat. Stopping the work of a construction site is no small task, but the small group of amphibians, their hamster friend, and a reincarnating fly are determined to save their home. The large-paneled art and cartoonlike illustrations complement the tone of the story well, which blends weighty themes such as life deforestation and habitat destruction with the light and often hilarious dialogue. Braddock organically works in facts about the animals, but no lesson is too lofty or overstated that it takes away from the book's flow. There are even a few moments where the characters call attention to something strange or unlikely about the plot, each time feeling as though Braddock is winking at readers. The solution to saving the pond does not come directly from the characters' own ideas, and yet kids will find it satisfying and perhaps even unexpected. VERDICT This work should appeal to a wide variety of readers-especially science teachers-because of its focus on habitats, deforestation, and endangered species.-Matthew C. Winner, Ducketts Lane Elementary School, Elkridge, MD (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Braddock, best known for her long-running syndicated comic, Jane's World, introduces the wisecracking denizens of a pond that is threatened by highway construction. Braddock's expertise with the pacing of three-panel comics is on full display-while there is an overall trajectory, the story hops from one zinger to the next. Animal-themed puns are abundant ("I'm a toad, not a tree frog, you know," grouses protagonist Cecil, as he unsuccessfully attempts to scale the tree where Jeff, a "free-range hamster," lives in luxury), as are gotcha gags. "Poor Cecil... he hates flying," deadpans Jeremy, a worm, after a hawk snatches the toad away. Braddock's polished cartoons (seen in b&w by PW) play up the story's broad comedy (several jokes revolve around Cecil's scent-based defense mechanisms and Jeremy's lack of appendages) and move the action forward steadily in sequential panels-typically two to four per page. The focus is on entertainment over ecology, but readers will still pick up useful information, particularly in a series of mini-adventures that close out the story. Ages 7-12. (Feb.) ? © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
