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Moose Power!

Muskeg Saves the Day
by Illustrated by Amy Huntington
40p. 978-0-89272-762-9.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—This long picture book stars an orphaned moose calf that is found by a lumberjack, Jean du Bois, on his way to live his retirement on a farm. His workhorse becomes a mother to Muskeg, and as one grows older and more tired, the other flourishes. Eventually the workhorse is too old to help on the farm and Jean worries that he will have to sell the land. A visit from his grandson leads to a happy solution. The story is set in Maine, features French-Canadian characters, and includes French words and phrases. Realistic watercolor paintings help to bring life to the story, but the beauty of the illustrations isn't enough to make this a worthy purchase. The dialogue often seems forced and formal, and children will have trouble relating to the writing style. While Christmas plays a role in the climax of the tale, this would not be categorized as a holiday story.—Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL
Fearing he will have to give up his farm when his horse becomes too old to work, Jean du Bois and his grandson Ti'Jean find a clever solution in Muskeg, the moose they rescued when he was an orphaned calf. The lengthy text presents a bygone farming era. Full-spread paintings, though stiff, depict Maine in all its seasonal glories. Glos.
Reviewed by Lora Van Marel , Oct 01, 2010

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