Leaping Lemmings

PreS-Gr 2—One lemming in Briggs's picture book story stands out from the others because he dresses and behaves differently than the rest of the group. He doesn't tunnel in the winter. He sleds with the puffins instead. He doesn't dive off cliffs and squeal. He snorkels and plays bongos and stands out in every lemming crowd. Most important, he is not afraid to speak his mind. He even screams it. When he sees that his friends are in danger, he uses his lemming thinking and his leadership qualities and helps them think for themselves over a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and hot sauce. Children will have fun searching for Larry the lemming on the digital cartoon spreads. But he is easy to find because he's either dressed up or doing the opposite of what the others are engaged in. Briggs also plays with the age-old parental question, "If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?"