One glance at today's title and cover, and I was hooked. While I'm pretty sure what the general gist will be (not really hidden, is it?), I have a feeling this one could mean all sorts of fun. Ready to see if this moose is as sneaky as it might be?
ANONYMOOSE
by Shawna J.C. Tenney
Beaming Books
Picture Book
32 pages
ages 4 to 8
COMING AUGUST 13th!!!
A humorous, heartfelt story about shyness, blending in, and the courage it takes to step out and speak up when it matters most.
Ana Moose feels most comfortable when she is hiding. Hiding is much more fun than knowing what to say or being picked last for the team. She enjoys being "Anonymoose"! Until one day, when she sees her classmate Peter building a fort. A fort could be a very good place to hide! But also, Ana starts to feel a connection with Peter. Will Anonymoose have enough courage to come out of hiding to make a friend?
Ana Moose feels most comfortable when she is hiding. Hiding is much more fun than knowing what to say or being picked last for the team. She enjoys being "Anonymoose"! Until one day, when she sees her classmate Peter building a fort. A fort could be a very good place to hide! But also, Ana starts to feel a connection with Peter. Will Anonymoose have enough courage to come out of hiding to make a friend?
MY TIDBITS
A secretive, barely seen moose and her super sneaky hiding antics make every page a fun adventure to explore.
Ana Moose is shy. More than shy. While the other forest animals know she exists, they never see more than her hoof, whenever she hands them a note from her clever hiding places. She's a master at staying invisible. When one of her classmates decides to build a fort, she's ready to offer assistance...well, as much as she can from a very hidden location. All works out well and their odd friendship blossoms and blooms until something happens and Ana's friend truly needs help.
I couldn't help but smile through this entire read. Ana is quite the hider, and her massive attempts to remain anonym are guaranteed to bring more than a couple giggles and smiles. The illustrations make each moment a delight as readers witness her clever and creative attempts to stay out of sight, while the rest of the animals play and move around her. This keeps an extra, lively atmosphere as the scenes switch in size according to the pacing of the plot (full two-page spread to several smaller ones on each page). It gives the tale a bit more action and energy, while allowing the moments to keep a nice, understandable flow. This also makes it an easy book for those listeners, who want to explore the tale on their own even if their reading skills aren't quite up to par yet.
The text fits the age group very nicely and uses font and sizing to emphasize the situations as necessary. It adds impact, keeps the tale interesting to even more reluctant readers, and creates it a fun read-aloud.
Of course, there's a clear message about friendship and going beyond the comfort zone, which is pretty easy to see coming. This slides right in with the fun and leaves with a nice impact, which doesn't feel preachy but rather will have young listeners wanting to peek into the book again.
And here she is...
Shawna J. C. Tenney was once a shy kid who felt most comfortable hiding in her room, drawing. While she outgrew her shyness (mostly!) she still tucks herself away from time to time to write and illustrate stories she would have loved to read as a kid. Shawna is also the author and illustrator of Pirates Don't Dance and Brunhilda's Backwards Day. She lives in Utah with her family. www.shawnajctenney.com
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