Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success
Grade 1-3--Mr. Wooden the owl gives his two pupils, Inch the inchworm and Miles the mouse, one final assignment before summer vacation--to define success. To put them on the right track, his whistle takes the two students on a magical adventure in which they meet different animals and explore the various components of success. For example, the ant equates it with hard work while, a few pages later, the dog defines it as loyalty. Some of the explanations are a little baffling--the eagle asserts that success requires poise, which means, "be yourself." This hardly explains the concept of poise for children. Except for Inch, Miles, and the narrator, all of the characters speak almost entirely in rhyming couplets, but the rhythm is sometimes off: "The energy and pep you show/will rub off on those you know." The bright cartoon illustrations done in thick oil paint may grab readers' attention, but overall the book will turn off its audience. The pages are extremely text heavy, and the small font is often hard to read on the bright backgrounds. Adult fans may appreciate Coach Wooden's desire to motivate kids, but children themselves will likely find this preachy package uninspiring and a few components short of a success.--Julie Roach, Malden Public Library, MACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.