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Poppleton.
Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Mark Teague.
Subject Headings:
Preschool - grade 1 / Ages 3 - 6.
**** /4
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excerpt:
At the library Poppleton always got a table all to himself. He spread out each of his things on the table: his eyeglasses, his tissues, his lip balm, his pocket watch, his book marker, and his duffel. Then he began to read. Poppleton liked adventure stories. He buried his head in an adventure book every Monday, and left it there all day long. Sometimes he needed a tissue for a sad part. Sometimes he needed lip balm for a dry part. Sometimes he needed his pocket watch for a slow part. But he loved his adventure.
Cynthia Rylant and Mark Teague have together created a memorable new character in Poppleton, a pig, and a book that deserves to become a classic in children's literature. Having once met this charming new friend, children will never forget him or his simple adventures that are so appropriately illustrated. There are three humorous short stories or chapters in Poppleton: "Cherry Sue," "The Library" and "The Pill." Poppleton is a humorous character, and it appears that illustrator Teague has caught this character just as Rylant wanted him to be. The humour can be seen in the opening story, "Cherry Sue." Poppleton was longing for peace and quiet, but Cherry Sue flooded him with invitations to come to her house. Actually, Cherry Sue wanted to ease up on her invitations but didn't know how to stop politely. Poppleton, to their shared relief, solved the problem by dramatically bringing it into the open - he soaked Cherry Sue with a hose and then explained:
"Sometimes I just like to be alone."
"You too?" said Cherry Sue ...
"I didn't know how to stop inviting you over."
Whereupon Poppleton soaked himself with the hose, and they laughed together and were best friends ever after. Hopefully this creative author/illustrator duo will produce more Poppleton books to respond to readers who will want to hear more about their new friend.
Highly recommended.
Joan Payzant is a retired teacher and teacher-librarian who lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © 1997 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - NOVEMBER 14, 1997.
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