Huck Runs Amuck!

February 21, 2011
With buckteeth and goggle eyes, Huck the goat is a flower-devouring hero with his share of ups and downs: up a precarious mountain and (falling) down to the village below, up a church spire to eat a flowered hat and (after a change of heart) down to return it to the grateful owner. In a departure from his more gently inspirational books, Reynolds proves that his loose ink-and-watercolor illustrations can adeptly convey action—and broad comedy—as he and Taylor play up the twisty misadventures that befall Huck. Each event is accompanied by interactive prompts ("UH-OH... he's not going to eat Mrs. Tuppleton's flowery underpants, is he? He is! He can't resist!"). Both author and artist play up the humor throughout; instead of grabbing flowers after a near-miss with a train, Huck ends up with "something else" in his teeth—a roll of pink toilet paper. Taylor's mainly unrhymed text switches to verse whenever Huck makes a grab for his beloved flowers: "He's up on the bridge without hesitation/. He's a clickety-clackety, climbing sensation!" The repeated exclamations are sure to have young readers joining in. Ages 5–8.

March 1, 2011

Huck is a goat with an eclectic appetite. But most of the usual goat edibles just don't tickle the taste buds. He finds that woolly gloves stick in his teeth, and "cardboard boxes taste like boring afternoons." His all-time favorite tasty treats are flowers. It doesn't matter whether they are on top of a mountain or in Mr. Watson's bouquet or on Mrs. Spooner's hat. Even flower patterns on clothing or table linens call to him. Huck tries, but each attempt to reach those elusive flowers leads to disaster, leaving him tumbling down a mountain, being chased by a big dog, colliding with a bicycle. But this intrepid (or, shall we say, maniacal) goat remains undaunted by fear, prior experience or reason. Taylor employs simple, conversational language in a fast-paced, almost breathless, easy-breezy cadence that draws readers right into Huck's adventures. Double-page spreads of Reynolds' detailed, cartoon-like, watercolor, ink and tea illustrations on a bright, white background surround the large-print text. Words and phrases like, "Uh-oh," and "Oh No," and the often-repeated "He can't resist!" are boldly hand-lettered for emphasis. But Huck is the star here; his expressions are wildly enthusiastic, goofy and totally demented. Hilarious, laugh-out-loud fun. (Picture book. 3-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-Huck the mountain goat is a good climber and an avid muncher. "Like most goats, Huck will eat most things. Cardboard boxes. Woolly gloves. Birds' nests." However, what inspires him to great heights-literally-are flowers. This is the story of one goat's ambition, punctuated by a progression of funny mishaps. Taylor has designed a participatory adventure, using exclamations and questions to involve his audience. "But look! What's that?" "Uh-oh...Huck's not going to...is he?" (The answer to which is almost always, "He is! He can't resist!") These words jump off the page in a large font. Reynolds enhances the book with artwork done in watercolors, ink, and tea, along with clever perspectives, appealing colors, and a large dose of humor. Huck's bug-eyed, gangly energy is engaging. A delightful story for any occasion.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2011
Preschool-G Although Huck the goat will eat most anything, he loves to eat flowers. Attempting to reach the last ones on a mountain peak, he tumbles down into the nearby town, where he is tempted by the flowery (though inaccessible) things he sees, from patterned underpants on a high clothesline to a ladys hat blown onto a church steeple. Using dramatic timing and audience response effectively, the text asks questions before certain page turns and switches from prose to verse when excitement mounts. Washed with watercolors, the ink drawings have the exaggerated characterization, and manic energy, and occasional catastrophes that make vintage animated cartoons funny. A series of double-page scenes captures the goats madcap pursuit of flowers from angles that heighten the tension and the comedy. Questions such as Hes not going to try that impossible climb, is he? arise throughout the narrative, and children will be happy to supply the answers. Great fun for reading aloud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)