From: Steven Engelfried <sengelfried>
Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 09:38:58 -0700

Two of the funniest animal stories I know are by writers who usually do more serious stuff: "Chuck and Danielle" by Peter Dickinson, where we see the world through the eyes of Chuck, the whippet, who's afraid of everything, is just hilarious. Also Donna Jo Napoli's "Prince of the Pond," where the newly enchanted frog tries to get the hang of how to talk, eat, and hop like a frog, is very funny. Both are great examples of characterization. Anyone's who's seen even just a picture of a whippet has to laugh at Chuck's view of the world. Dickinson tells part of the story directly from the dog's point of view (if I remember it right) and gets it just right. Danielle tries to train him for an agility competition, but Chuck won't go throught the makeshift tunnel she creates, because he's sure it's some sort of creature that eats whippets. The frog prince in Napoli's book is angry and impatient, not just because he's a frog, but because being a frog isn't as easy as it looks. The scene where he bravely outsmarts a turtle in his clumsy tongued voice makes a very funny read aloud.

Steven Engelfried, Children's Division Librarian Beaverton City Library 12375 SW 5th Street Beaverton, OR 97005 503R6%99 sengelfried at ci.beaverton.or.us
Received on Mon 20 May 2002 11:38:58 AM CDT