by Rachel Poliquin (Author) Kathryn Durst (Illustrator)
The second book in a hilarious illustrated non-fiction chapter book series starring a savvy and stylish cockroach who guides the reader through an encounter with a charming -- and dangerous -- predator. Is this hyena drooling for tea and crumpets . . . or for you?!
Celeste is a cockroach, and everyone knows that cockroaches are survivors, so who better to give advice on surviving an encounter with a polite predator? High teas are dainty meals with pretty teacups: you nibble tiny cakes, sip milky tea and chit-chat about not-so-important things like why doughnuts have holes and if fish have eyebrows. But Ruby the hyena is loud, ferocious and tends to slober. High-speed gobbling makes good sense in the wild, but it is a definite no-no in the tearoom! And Ruby just happens to be Queen of a very large clan of hungry hyenas. Will high tea be ruined by uninvited guests? Is Ruby peckish for something other than Celeste's famous cream buns? Using her vast knowledge of hyenas, Celeste comes up with lots of strategies to get through high tea in one piece. Many of her suggestions are dangerous, most are absurd, but all are based on true hyena biology and hunting behavior.
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K-Gr 3--Madcap etiquette lessons served up with a generous dollop of factual information, this droll title features a cockroach narrator who wants to prepare readers, and the young heroine featured in the story, for a high tea with a hyena. Following step-by-step instructions, anyone can not only host an elegant tea, but will know what is to be served and how to survive hosting a 160-pound hyena for the engagement, complete with gossip and cream buns. This witty title features pencil-like crayon art that was finished digitally and is full of good humor, complementing the funny business launched in the text. The length and level of vocabulary ("tittle tattle," for example) skew this towards a slightly older audience. Useful for lessons on humor writing or as an engaging activity for an animal research unit, this title would be welcome in libraries where older elementary students enjoy the delights of a witty picture book. VERDICT Humorous and entertaining, and worthy of a place at the table.--John Scott
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission."This [is] an adorable and funny story . . . but it [is] also a good teaching tool." —Jill's Book Blog
"[A] clever approach to the natural world, convincing in its message that . . . there is always more to learn." —Imaginary Elevators