Bartleby of the Big Bad Bayou [Hardcover]

Phyllis Shalant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Bartleby, the red-eared turtle, and Seezer, the American alligator, have swum the Mighty Mississippi to reach bayou country, their true home. But when they find the creek where Seezer was born, they discover it’s ruled by Old Stump—a giant gator with a gargantuan appetite. Fortunately, Bartleby has a knack for making friends, and there is soon a new crew to count on, including a red-ear named Lucky Gal. Still, life in bayou country is full of challenges. Does Bartleby have what it takes to make this strange new world his own? Readers will cheer for the tiny but tough hero in this pageturning sequel to Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–Bartleby, a red-eared turtle, and his alligator friend, Seezer, have traveled through three seasons to make their way from their former lives as pets in New York State to their rightful home in bayou country. Sadly, when they arrive, the bayou is not as Seezer remembers it, nor as Bartleby imagined it. A huge and nasty gator, Old Stump, and his gang of four have taken over the area and eaten or frightened away most of the other animals. Bartleby is as courageous and clever as he was when he met Seezer in Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi (Dutton, 2000) and he manages to outwit the numerous enemies he encounters in the swamp. Finally he meets other red-ears, as he has longed to do since he saw a nature special in his former home, and finds his match in plucky Lucky Gal. Friends and foes interact much like people and discover loyalties and harmony after surviving drought, bullies, and another spell in captivity. Fans of the first book will enjoy this story most but it can stand on its own. Touching and exciting, this fast and easy read will appeal even to reluctant readers.–Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. In a worthy follow-up to Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi (2000), Shalant relates the adventures of the gentle-souled but resourceful red-ear turtle who has gone back to his roots. With his alligator friend, Seezer, Bartleby has managed to make it all the way from a New York pond to the bayou, only to find an unwelcoming committee of garfish and hostile alligators. The bayou's turtles are not very friendly, either, except for one with a damaged webbed foot named Lucky Gal. From here loyalties shift, unlikely alliances are forged, and daring rescues are made. In the end comes a true and satisfying homecoming. The story entertains as it informs. The bayou critters think and talk like ornery human beings, but Shalant also transmits substantial information about the eating, sleeping, and gathering habits of various species. The bayou becomes a model for how different personalities can learn to get along. In an amusing side note, sensitive, empathetic Bartleby comes to understand what a sweet, inarticulate urban dog is trying to say. Abby Nolan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (July 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525473661
• ISBN-13: 978-0525473664
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,534,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, September 21, 2005

By 

N. Radle "red ear reader" (austin, tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bartleby of the Big Bad Bayou (Hardcover)

After reading Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi to my 4 and 5 year old sons, they were begging for more. They loved Shalant's next book Bartleby of the Big Bad Bayou. Each night I would read one of the short chapters to them and they would beg for me to read another. The book was suspensful for my boys and they are wishing Shalant had Bartleby traveling to another spot in a third book. I highly reccomend these books for any young boy who loves to read or be read to.