Children's Book Reviews

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Nutik & Amaroq Play Ball by Jean Craighead George, Illustrated by Ted Rand
HarperCollins, June, 2001
Picture Book, 40 pages
ISBN: 0060281669
Ages 4-8
Ordering information:
Amazon.com

Nutik & Amaroq Play Ball
by Jean Craighead George, Illustrated by Ted Rand

Nutik and Amaroq Play Ball is the latest in a series of books written by Jean Craighead George that began with her award-winning Julie of the Wolves. This very successful book was followed by Julie's Wolf Pack and Nutik the Wolf Cub. For those who have read her many books, this new book will continue Ms. George's continuing theme of the experiences of children who live in the dangerous, yet beautiful, world of the Arctic. Each new book follows the experiences of a young person who must deal with a harsh and beautiful world, and with the fascinating animals who inhabit it. In such a world there are no excuses for bad judgment, and only a keen and scientific observer of the laws of the Arctic and its wildlife will survive. Ms. George's respect for the Arctic environment and for the children who must deal with its severe rules is sure to inspire and teach young readers.

In Nutik and Amaroq Play Ball, is the story of a young boy who has adopted a wolf pup as his best friend. Nutik is a playful little Eskimo boy and Amaroq is the wolf grandson of the great wolf leader, who was also named Amaroq. The story begins with a problem. The two want to play with their football, but it has disappeared after a visit from the Kuklook boys who are known pranksters. There is only one thing to do and that is to go outside and play. We see the boy and the wolf pup communicate as they look for an amusing activity. The wolf pup appears to want to take a walk across the treeless tundra and the boy follows until he begins to realize that they are lost. They cannot see any of the familiar landmarks, such as the village, the fish drying racks or his father's airplane hangar. Frightened, Nutik remembers that he must observe Nature if he is to find his way home again. He observes the gulls flying towards the fish-drying racks and feels relieved. But the wolf pup keeps heading across the tundra until finally he finds an empty oil barrel in which he is very interested. To the joy of both boy and pup, the missing football is found inside the oil barrel. Now they can play with the ball again, and that is what they do for the remainder of the day.

Again the pair is facing the dilemma of being lost on the tundra. Nutik wants to follow the gulls again, but the wolf pup does not want to go in that direction. Wisely, the boy relies on the instincts of the wolf pup and soon they are back in the familiar territory of the fish-racks, the village and the airplane hangar. Again Ms. George has made a strong case that a wise person will observe the animals that have instincts that we have lost, and the keen observer of Nature will be safe.

The tale of Nutik and Amaroq is also told by the stunning illustrations by Ted Rand, who is an established illustrator of children's books. He and his wife traveled to Barrow, Alaska, to observe the colors and moods of the land of the midnight sun, and he has done a superb job of bringing the dramatic beauty of the area to life. As they should be in such a book, the drawings are large and they are set against a dominating landscape, sometimes showing the tundra and at other times showing the dramatic colors of the sky. Ted Rand's paintings bring summer in the Arctic alive.

Stories about children and their animal friends are always favorites with children. Somehow relating to a simple and uncomplicated creature inspires all of us, and a story about a special place called the Arctic as told by Jean Craighead George is sure to become a favorite story.

--Sarah Reaves White

Paddington Bear Goes to the Hospital by Michael Bond and Karen Jankel, Pictures by R.W. Alley
HarperCollins, May, 2001
Picture Book, 40 pages
ISBN: 0694015636
Ages Baby - Preschool
Ordering information:
Amazon.com

Going to the hospital is frightening even for grownups, so one can only imagine how upsetting it must be for a child who is facing a visit to the hospital. How comforting it is to know that a special friend of children all over the world named Paddington Bear is also facing this same dilemma. Any parent would be delighted to have such a story on hand to read to an anxious child who may be facing a hospital stay.

The adventure begins with Paddington feeling confused and lying on his back on the lawn, paws in the air and a worried family hovering over him. Paddington feels that he may be in Darkest Peru, but Mrs. Bird assures him that he is at home at number thirty-two Windsor Gardens. Mrs. Brown suggests that Paddington might like a bun, but Paddington's reply is "What's a bun?" "That settles it, " declares Mrs. Bird and she calls the hospital. The ambulance, of course is late because they have mistakenly gone to Paddington Station first, before they realize their mistake.

At the hospital Paddington is subjected to all kinds of procedures from x-ray to a tiny pin prick with a needle that puts him right to sleep. The doctor assures Mrs. Brown that all things will be put right and that Paddington's memory should return after a night's rest. Drawings of all the machinery of a modern hospital will be helpful to a child as he views Paddington going through the same procedures that he himself may soon face. Paddington wakes up in a ward with lots of other patients and an attentive nurse who brings water. The nurse says that Paddington must stay overnight for observation. Paddington has misgivings about being observed and feels that he might fall out of bed. The nurse explains the bed and reassuringly tells him that she will be close by. Paddington suffers through all the many visits by kindly strangers in hospital attire which a child facing a hospital stay might encounter. The night spent in the hospital passes peacefully and the next morning Paddington meets all the children in the ward, and finds that many of them will have to stay in the hospital for much longer periods of time. All of the children seem quite happy, though. Paddington finally finds out that his boomerang was the cause of his being hit on the head and dislocating his shoulder, but everything turns out happily . Paddington sums the whole adventure up by stating that he wouldn't mind if he ever had to return to the hospital.

R. W. Alley, an illustrator of many children's books and at least five books about Paddington is happily on hand to make Paddington look just right as he goes through the ordeal of an accident and subsequent hospital stay. The drawings of Paddington are whimsical and the faces of all of the characters in the story show strong emotion and comical expressions. A child reader will move through the story with drawings that bring out the emotions of the moment. Additionally, all of the medical and emergency equipment is drawn in detail so that a child can recognize and understand what he is seeing during the visit.

Paddington, as always, is a reassuring personality with endearing little eccentricities which all bears ought to have. A child who loves Paddington will be greatly reassured by being armed with this little adventure. Michael Bond wrote this book for his own daughter who endured many hospital visits when she was very young.

Paddington begins his misadventure by having an accident. It is a total surprise to him as are all accidents to those on whom they befall. Accidents catch us off guard and we lose our sense of well being in an instant. A child who reads this book can watch Paddington go through this kind of ordeal and feel comforted. It definitely belongs in a family's first aid kit of comforting stories to bring out when things go wrong.

--Sarah Reaves White

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Children's Book Reviews

Nutik & Amaroq Play Ball by Jean Craighead George, Illustrated by Ted Rand

Paddington Bear Goes to the Hospital by Michael Bond and Karen Jankel, Pictures by R.W. Alley