A couple of books about animals crossed by desk recently. They are very different and are for different age groups, but they are both fun reads.
Any kid who loves animals, especially wild ones, will love Raccoon Summer by Betty Vanderwielen. When his father hits and kills a raccoon that was crossing the road, Lance feels compelled to find the babies she’s left behind. Lance’s father is no raccoon lover; he’s an insurance agent who’s had to settle too many claims caused by raccoon damage. His stepmother wants nothing to do with the little creatures, either, so Lance recruits a neighbor with some wildlife rescue experience to help him with three kits that are so small that their eyes aren’t even open yet. The two begin a program that starts with feedings from an eye dropper and progresses through training the kits to live in the wild. But this isn’t the only challenge for Lance. In addition to caring for raccoons, Lance helps his neighbor move through the grieving process, comes to terms with his best friend’s out-of-state move, and copes with his mother’s desire to adopt a baby with special needs. Lance learns a lot and develops a lot of empathy before this story is over. The author provides a lot of details about what goes into raising wild animals and why wild animals shouldn’t be treated as pets. I think any child who is considering becoming a veterinarian, wild life biologist, or zoo keeper would be intrigued by this story.
Although I didn’t find a date for when the story is set, I’m guessing it’s in the mid1980s, based on the fact that no one has a cell phone, Lance has a land line in his room, they go to a Blockbuster on the weekend, and there’s a really great scene with a Star Wars themed birthday party that only mentions three movies, and the family watches MASH and Star Trek on TV. Some kids might be a befuddled by no cell phones! The more controversial issues, like surrogate parenting and the treatment of special needs children are handled delicately and with a light hand. There is a sweetness and innocence to the book that is refreshing. I’d recommend Raccoon Summer to readers between fourth and sixth grade.
What is it about pack rats? Here in the mountains where I live, most of us consider pack rats a nuisance the same way Lance's dad thought raccoons were. They have a habit of climbing into the engine blocks of cars and chewing the wires. They root through the attic, scattering scat and chewing the glitter off Christmas decorations. But I guess their peculiar habits make them particularly interesting to young readers. In January I reviewed The Dreaded Cliff, a middle grade novel about a feisty female packrat who goes on an epic journey and saves her clan from a monster who’s taken over their homeland.
This month, I came across another story about packrats. A Packrat’s Holiday: Thistletoe’s Gift is for younger readers and makes a great read aloud for younger kids and for everyone else. Thistletoe Q. Packrat and his mom are facing a joyless holiday. Times are “tougher ‘n horseshoes and the cupboards are bare. But when three cowboys drive their cattle by, Thistletoe and his cousin Cuz are determined to wrangle some of the vittles for themselves. Author Linda Wilson has written a text that’s filled with enough Westernisms to make this book a read-aloud hit, and Nancy Batra’s black and white illustrations, which cover every page, are cute and filled with details that will keep little eyes busy. While Raccoon Summer was realistic, this sweet book anthropomorphizes the packrats. They speak and wear bits of clothing and eat their feat while sitting around a table. Author’s notes in the back of the book share information about real pack rats and their behavior, the desert of the Southwest, and Western cattle drives. Altogether, this is a fun and informative book that I recommend for readers over the age of five, and listeners of any age.
This month, I came across another story about packrats. A Packrat’s Holiday: Thistletoe’s Gift is for younger readers and makes a great read aloud for younger kids and for everyone else. Thistletoe Q. Packrat and his mom are facing a joyless holiday. Times are “tougher ‘n horseshoes and the cupboards are bare. But when three cowboys drive their cattle by, Thistletoe and his cousin Cuz are determined to wrangle some of the vittles for themselves. Author Linda Wilson has written a text that’s filled with enough Westernisms to make this book a read-aloud hit, and Nancy Batra’s black and white illustrations, which cover every page, are cute and filled with details that will keep little eyes busy. While Raccoon Summer was realistic, this sweet book anthropomorphizes the packrats. They speak and wear bits of clothing and eat their feat while sitting around a table. Author’s notes in the back of the book share information about real pack rats and their behavior, the desert of the Southwest, and Western cattle drives. Altogether, this is a fun and informative book that I recommend for readers over the age of five, and listeners of any age.
Jennifer Bohnhoff lives in the mountains east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has written a number of books for middle grade readers. Her next book, Where Duty Calls, is historical fiction set in New Mexico during the Civil War, and will be published by Kinkajou Press in June 2022. It is available for preorder in both paperback and ebook here.
