Fur and Feathers

PreS-Gr 1—Sophia dreams that a howling wind comes in and whisks away all the fur and feathers on the animals in the book she was reading. She tries to help them by sharing her clothes, but none of them suit the animals' needs. Then she decides to make new coats for them: scales for Snake, gray feathers for Duck, pins and needles for Porcupine, etc. The major problem with this book is that it hammers children over the head with its message of various animal coverings, and youngsters who are learning about the topic may be bored by this simplistic story. The book is wordy and tedious, and the illustrations and text do not flow together. The art is pleasant enough and does a good job of capturing the animals realistically, but there is nothing truly outstanding here. This volume doesn't seem to know if it's fiction or nonfiction, and it does not succeed as either one. Additional facts appear at the end, including information on scientific classification of animals.—Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL