School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Beaver, true to type, is eagerly building a little wooden boat. When it is completed, he invites his friends-Badger, Bear, Hedgehog, Mole, and Hare-to join him for a ride. They laugh at the notion of fitting on the tiny vessel, so Beaver puts together a raft. Now, one by one, the friends scramble aboard and it's comical to watch their delighted faces and Beaver's increasing dismay as the raft sags more precariously with each addition. Appreciative onlookers will enjoy the stunning muted watercolor scenery-swamps, rivers, waterfalls-and the bonus details like inquisitive fish and frolicsome frogs that turn up in unusual places. An exciting ride over the rapids and the enormous weight of Bear fail to overturn the raft-but when butterfly hops on, it tips and everyone is thoroughly and cheerfully soaked. While this story is similar to Pamela Allen's Who Sank the Boat? (Coward-McCann, 1983; o.p.), the earlier book was primarily a guessing game for younger audiences. The smallest animal being the one to cause the catastrophe is an idea that delights children, and this more sophisticated, beautifully illustrated retelling for slightly older children will be a welcome addition for read-alouds and independent reading.-Susan Weitz, Tompkins County Public Library, Ithaca, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Mole is the first to accept when Beaver invites his friends for a ride on his newly fashioned watercraft. Then, the rest of the gang from Bear's Eggs and Beaver's Lodge Hedgehog and Hare, Badger and Bear climb aboard. It's Butterfly's soft touch that finally topples the craft in There's Always Room for One More by Ingrid and Dieter Schubert. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved