From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3APeacefully content on a deserted island, a hermit receives an unexpected visitor. Not only is the bird noisy, it also "splats" all over, making quite a mess. Not wanting to share his space, the man does what he can to contain the bird until it finally flies away. Now he is lonely, of course. He waits and waits. Expecting some sort of conclusion about sharing, readers wait as well. When the bird does return with "others" soon to follow, the unexpected surprise of who the others are throws all sense of didacticism out the window. Instead, this book provides an alternate perspective to the "Noah's Ark" tale that will amuse readers. The interaction between the text and art is masterful. Concise language is coupled with minimalist illustrations. Simple pen-and-ink cartoon lines are used for the characters, easily capturing the loner's changing emotions. A light wash of color establishes the background scenery while the man's clothing stands out in red. Allan makes particularly good use of turning the page to build suspense. Younger children will laugh at the bird's antics, while older readers will find the connection to a familiar story creative and clever.AMartha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
A twist on the tale of Noah, irreverently told and catering, in the depiction of quantities of feces, to the tired trend of grossness. ``There were no animals or people on the island, so the hermit had it all to himself,'' the story opens. The hermit likes his solitude, but a dove lands and begins to--in the euphemism employed in the text--``splat'' all over the place, including in the hermit's face. When the dove leaves, the hermit misses it; the bird returns, with Noah and the ark in tow. All the animals disembark and begin to cover the hermit's island with their own splat. Allan plays the excreta for laughs, but mixing it with even indirect biblical references--and without the saving grace of originality or real humor--is sure to offend somebody, somewhere. (Picture book. 6-9) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
