The Busy Beaver (Life in the Wild)

PreS-K--Beaver's exuberance for his work leads to careless accidents for a bear, moose, and bird's nest, and eventually for himself. After recuperating from "one bent tail, two broken limbs, three cracked ribs...," Beaver realizes he has a great deal for which to atone. He exercises, reads a how-to book, and practices apologies. His return is greeted by fear until he shows his newfound consideration with gifts and kind deeds. Once accepted at home, Beaver dreams of becoming a dam-building instructor, playing in an animal band, and taking more naps. He chooses the last. The comic Photoshop illustrations have a stop-action effect and creative attention to detail. Try this title as bibliotherapy for youngsters who need to focus on impulse control.--Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Written and illustrated in the same breezy style as Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life--whose protagonists play supporting roles in this outing--Oldland's small-format book sounds clear notes about being conscientious of one's surroundings. A careless beaver is oblivious to the consequences of his actions: he "always made a mess of the forest," leaving trees half-chewed and felling "more than he needed." His recklessness even more directly affects his fellow forest dwellers when a tree he's chomping falls on a bear's head, and he chews a moose's leg, mistaking it for a tree. But after a tree that the beaver is gnawing on lands on his own head, and he's hospitalized, he finally reflects on the damage he's caused. Following his recovery the beaver puts his energy to positive use and makes amends to the forest and his friends. Cool, natural colors dominate Oldland's digital pictures, which are highlighted by humorous images of the bug-eyed, big-toothed hero. The art's quirkiness and the text's droll delivery contribute equally to the lighthearted tone of this cautionary tale. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)