illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
Candlewick Press, 2004
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Eddie the Raccoon
Four short stories, for kids just learning to read, show the trouble a raccoon can get himself into on a farm. The eight-sentences stories were inspired by naughty raccoons visiting the author’s farm, Rising Moon Farm.
reviews
“As with other books in the Brand New Readers series, this begins with information for adults who are helping new readers. The four short scenarios that follow (it’s hard to call them stories as they are so brief) introduce Eddie the Raccoon, a very childlike critter who gets into trouble but can’t always get himself out. Pleasant watercolors, with Eddie always smack in the center of the picture, fill up each small page and provide ample visual clues to the accompanying sentence–usually comprising four or five basic vocabulary words: “Eddie digs with a spoon.” Such stripped-down text could easily have resulted in a boring book, but not here. Each setup packs a gently humorous punch that’s easy enough for children to grasp and sweet enough to make their adult helpers chuckle. In “Eddie in a Jam,” for example, Eddie literally gets his snout stuck in a jam jar. A winning entry in a consistently good series.” (Booklist)
“These well-crafted books are carefully tailored to meet the needs of emergent readers… In Eddie, an appealing and mischievous young raccoon steals Big Chicken’s eggs, gets his nose stuck in a jam jar, digs deep holes, and stumbles upon a grumpy bear’s cave. Featuring thick lines and warm colors, Yee’s carefully composed illustrations are eye-catching… All of the vignettes end with an amusing joke or twist. Children will welcome these enjoyable additions to a fine easy-to-read series.” (School Library Journal)