Customer Reviews

Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather

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A satire on the commercialization of holidays, our obsession with celebrity, and the media's tendency to make natural things seem unnatural, "Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather" is also a cleverly written and funny book about the secrets of Ground Hog Day. I like how author/illustrator Bruce Koscielniak bypasses a lengthy explanation of that whole things about how groundhog seeing it's shadow (or not) predicts whether we're in for more winter or a quick transition to Spring. Mrs. Goundhog, reading to Geoffrey in their cozy underground living room (with a whimsical wooden-planks-on-a-pole ladder to the side) FROM "Groundhog Lore," simply states: "If you see your shadow on Groundhog Day, go back to sleep, because winter will last six more weeks. Of there is no shadow, spring will soon be here."

Geoffrey doesn't see his shadow, and tells this to Merton Moose, who sensationalizes the brief event into front page news. I wish that Bruce Koscielniak had drawn Moose as a wizened and jaded reporter, so of the Walter Matthau of moose. Geoffrey's success, and Moose's publicity results in a media event the next February. There are television cameras, lots and lots of unrelated Groundhog's Day sales and promos (e.g., a billboard for "Big Tooth toothpaste, showing Geoffrey brushing his... big tooth; the "Uptown Cuisine Restaurant" sporting a banner, "Geoffrey ate here"). The mania even gets to Geoffrey, who shows up wearing a Hollywood-ish scarf and shades.

Unfortunately, when Geoffrey hurries to the ground for his prediction, there are so many cameras and people that, "I could hardly see the ground of me, much less my own shadow!"--and he has more than a shadow of a doubt about the upcoming season. Even this "failure" gets prominent newspaper and TV coverage. The consequences are humorously exaggerated; in fact, there's so much confusion that "all weather reports were canceled" until Geoffrey makes up his mind about what he saw. Fortunately, weather forecasting is in the family, and Geoffrey's off the hook thanks to Mom.

The conclusion's a bit flat, though perhaps appropriate for bedtime, Geoffrey, tired from all that forecasting, goes to bed. Koscielniak succeeds at both the children and adult levels, writing a book with multi-layered appeal. I like books like this, because it means that adults won't tire of reading it over (and over) to kids. The illustrations and fanciful narrative tone are very similar to James Marshall's (of the "Worst" series, and the "Wainy" series): Casually drawn lettering, heavy use of "sketchy" lines, faces full of expression, and a light watercolor touch. Highly recommended.

Cute and delightful book. Poor Geoffrey the Groundhog little did he know that predicting when spring would begin would bring him such attention. He peacefully sleeps through the winter not knowing that all eyes will be on him on February 2. He oversleeps and the crowds get bigger, he finally wakes up and goes out to see if he can see his shadow, but can't because of all the frenzy and people all over. But clever Geoffrey calls his mother and and asks her if she saw her shawdow, the day is won. Good book, nice illustrations.

Geoffrey does a good job at predicting the weather the first time he has to do it. But the second year, he oversleeps and then gets distracted by the ensuing media frenzy. He eventually issues a decision based on a phone call to his mother.

Simple line drawings are accompanied by the fun-to-read front pages of newspapers from Geoffrey's town. Mr. Koscielniak may have confused groundhogs with beavers, for they are all depicted with protruding front teeth. No matter: this is an amusing Groundhog Day story for the young.