Review by Booklist Review
When the annual Groundhog Day forecast proves inaccurate in Rabbit's locale, he encourages Professor Groundhog to open a weather school with students from around the continent. Soon they gather to begin their lessons in GeHOGgraphy, Famous Furry HOGnosicators, nature's weather predictors, burrow construction, seasons, and shadows. Finally, they graduate and head back home to hibernate until the big day. Although a good bit of information about groundhogs is tucked into the text, captions, and speech balloons, the approach is so varied and so often witty that children will absorb the facts effortlessly. One clever double-page spread shows six animals checking off whether they have what it takes to be a weather forecaster (i.e., a groundhog), while another shows four students in panels, month by month, from October to February 2. The amusing illustrations, colorful paintings digitally collaged with found objects and papers, set the tone for this inviting introduction to groundhogs and the holiday named for them.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-This story combines elements of comic books, science lessons, a holiday tale, and history class. It opens with a groundhog incorrectly predicting the coming of spring, prompting a rabbit to write a letter suggesting that more groundhogs be trained and utilized to improve accuracy. Candidates are schooled in the fine points of groundhog physiology, nomenclature, Groundhog Day lore, seasonal changes, and weather patterns. After graduation, they take their places to make their predictions-without much change in the outcome. Sorra's amusing multimedia illustrations include comic frames, collage, and speech bubbles; each turn of the page provides another surprise. Holub does a good job keeping all the balls in the air-the groundhog school story line propels the stream of information-but accessibility is a problem. The text is too advanced for the primary grade students who are most likely to be celebrating Groundhog Day, and the book does not lend itself to reading to a group. Best for one-on-one sharing.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Holub presents a clever look at the weather as readers follow some groundhogs (and an imposter) through their training at Professor Groundhog's school. In their lessons (including "GeHOGraphy") they write reports on "Famous Furry Hognosticators," learn other natural weather predictors, read about famous figures in weather history, learn about burrow building, do a skit entitled, "The Reasons for Seasons" and experiment with making shadows. Readers can take "The BIG Test" along with students to see how much they have learned. Sorra's illustrations combine a scrapbook style, with letters, checklists and typed research reports, and a comic-book style complete with speech bubbles and panels. The result really lets readers get into the premise and allows for diverse facts to be presented in little snippets (and funny comments to be assigned to each unique groundhog). Bright colors, textures and the incorporation of found objects, as well as the busyness of each page will keep readers searching the artwork. Backmatter includes information about Groundhog Day. Nothing in-depth or too serious here, but good fun that will subtly teach in between laughs. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
