Review by Booklist Review
Countless illustrated books begin with birds up in a tree, but how many feature a moose that's determined to join them? "Boing! Boing! Boing!" That's the sound made by Moose, entering the story on his pogo stick. The last Boing! catapults him skyward, past the birds, but he soon falls back to earth. The birds watch him float upward again, lifted by a helium balloon, only for him to plummet a second time. Undeterred, the moose climbs a long ladder up into an adjacent tree and walks a high wire across to the birds. In the rapidly darkening scene, Moose has one comment on his perilous feat ("Yowza!"), one remark on the view ("Worth it!"), and one desperate question ("How do I get down from here?"). Preller's amiable narrative sets up the scene, the characters, and the tone of the story, while Burch's simplified, highly expressive art amplifies Moose's brave exploits, his occasional (literal) downfalls, and his eventual triumph. From the Ready-to-Read series, here's a funny book that beginning readers might enjoy sharing with their younger siblings.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--Two birds watch and cheer on a moose who is determined to climb their tree and sit with them. Moose attempts his climb unconventionally with a pogo stick, balloon, and finally a tightwire, until he has success. But then the always funny, "What do I do now?" realization hits. Confusion might arise when children point out Moose had access to a ladder the whole time, but it's no more confusing than why a moose would want to climb a tree in the first place. Spare language complements the cartoon illustrations that are captivating in their simplicity, and visual clues will illicit giggles from young readers as they follow along with moose's bumbling actions. For instance, Moose's movement is especially well-relayed with a comic fall from a wobbly, unsuccessful tightwire walk attempt and a sequence of a slow balloon ascent followed by a quick descent with a popped balloon. VERDICT An entertaining choice, with appropriate language for the developing reader.--Melisa Bailey
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When Moose attempts to join a red bird and a blue bird high on a tree branch, new readers will spot the pattern: Moose tries jumping up into the tree with a pogo stick and crashes; Moose tries floating up on a balloon that pops. The economical text uses between two and twelve words per double-page spread. A handful of longer words (pardon, excuse) and phonetic challenges ("yowza!") appear amid one-syllable words, so this is for readers who are tiptoeing into more advanced decoding. Illustrations use minimal lines and background details, bold images, and strong, solid colors, keeping a tight focus on plot and characters. The movement among spreads, panels, and spot art controls the pace, while the images bring most of the humor. The determination on Moose's face on attempt number one, the realization of an error on attempt number two, and a confident calm by the third try are palpable. The birds (one sporting a fedora), well-meaning witnesses who provide no substantive support, are characters anyone with such ambitions, regardless of age, will recognize. They'll also recognize the inevitable flip side of achieving one's goals: "How do I get down from here?" Adrienne L. PettinelliSeptember/October 2024 p.84 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
