Armadillo's Orange
PreSchool-Grade 2-This prolific author and illustrator has once again produced a small treasure. A young armadillo digs his burrow in an orange grove, pleased that its entrance will be clearly marked by a big, bright fruit that has fallen to the ground. He goes out on grub-hunting forays every day, either ignoring his various animal neighbors, or shuffling impatiently when they impede his progress. When a gust of wind moves his orange, he wanders lost and alone until he realizes that it is the neighbors he has been ignoring who can lead him home again. The story is told in simple, clear prose that belies the larger message about what constitutes a constant in a world of continual flux. The sun-washed watercolor illustrations, done largely in greens, yellows, and oranges, depict a surprisingly endearing armadillo and sensitively capture his world. This comforting, emotionally satisfying book could be shared aloud or read independently by emergent readers.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.