Porcupine's Picnic

February 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-Porcupine is excited to find the perfect spot for a picnic. As he begins to munch his clover, along comes Koala, who asks to join him. Porcupine is delighted and offers Koala some clover, but Koala wants eucalyptus leaves instead. Next comes Squirrel, who joins the picnic but would rather eat acorns; then Giraffe, who prefers tree leaves; Goat, who fancies alfalfa; and a host of other animals, all with their own choices of nourishment. In the end, the last guest to arrive at the picnic makes an unsettling food choice that totally disrupts the party. Colorful, amusing, and informative, with a surprising, slightly jarring ending, this is great as a read-aloud or read-alone. There are 20 different animals named in the story, and the accurate food preference for each is given. In an author's note, Rosenthal explains that the animals mentioned would never all be found together in the wild, as they are from different regions. She also sheds light on what herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores are and which animals in the narrative belong in each category. The large font and full-page illustrations are appealing, and the animals are warm and friendly. The pictures contribute to the festive and happy feel of the tale; even the endpapers are part of the fun! The conclusion may frighten some readers, but nothing grisly or sad happens.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2016
Porcupine's picnic grows ever larger as new animals arrive with their own food choices until an unexpected guest alters the camaraderie.Eager to share his basket full of clover, Porcupine learns that each of his friends has a preference. Koala likes eucalyptus leaves. Squirrel sticks with acorns. Giraffe snacks on tree leaves, Goat enjoys alfalfa, and Elephant chews on tree bark. The gathering grows with a dizzying assortment of herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores: Chicken, Panda, Reindeer, Zebra, Baboon, Anteater, Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Toad, and Weasel all politely ask to join and provide a sampling of their food selections. Digital art depicts an amiable atmosphere, its characters appearing flat and unnaturally sweet. None of the meat-eating animals seem at all tempted by their companions until Tiger appears, declaring his dinner choice (everyone) and causing the rest to scatter in all directions. The repetitious, sometimes-tedious text diligently samples a worldwide list of animals from all three eating groups, as outlined in the author's note. The simplistic story cannot, of course, accurately represent the specificity of most of these animals' diets, and the fact that their habitats vary wildly is elided. Poor science and poor storytelling make for a poor combination. (Picture book. 5-8)

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January 1, 2017
Grades K-2 It's a beautiful day, and Porcupine just found the perfect spot for a picnic, where he can enjoy some clover. When Koala wants to join him, Porcupine offers some of his clover, but Koala politely declines and starts eating some eucalyptus leaves. Gradually, more than a dozen animals arrive to share the picnic spot and enjoy their favorite foods, and Rosenthal showcases a variety of animal diets in the process. Most of the creatures are omnivores or herbivores, but things start to look ominous when Weasel shows up craving mice, and the picnic comes to an abrupt halt when Tiger comes on the scene and gazes hungrily at the picnic attendees. Although most of these animals would never meet in the wild, there's plenty of information to be gleaned from these pages, and the cartoonish, anthropomorphized creatures with big eyes and friendly faces will help the smattering of facts (explained further in an author's note) go down easy. Cheerful artwork and a narrative with plenty of repetition make this a great pick for group story time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)