Moose's Big Idea (Moose and Hildy) (Hardcover)

by Stephanie Greene (Author), Joe Mathieu (Illustrator) "Even for a moose, Moose was funny looking..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3–Greene departs from the popular, reality-based Owen Foote series (Houghton) to offer lots of laughs in this easy chapter book. Moose is sad upon losing his very large antlers, but cheers up a bit when his pig friend, Hildy, is now able to observe his pretty eyes and muscular legs, and notes the troubles his antlers brought. In the next chapter, he stays inside during hunting season, spending his time reading, doing puzzles, and drawing impressive pictures, modestly telling the less-talented Hildy that ‘There's no good or bad in art…just different styles.' When cabin fever ensues, Moose gets the idea to sell doughnuts, coffee, and original artwork to hunters, hoping they won't recognize him in a blue hat and white apron, making a sale to a naive hunter. In another chapter, this same man finds Moose's old antlers but won't give them back. Finally, Moose's new antlers begin to grow. Fans of Cynthia Rylant's Poppleton (Scholastic) and other readers stepping up to chapter books will laughingly turn these pages and clamor for more. Mathieu's frequent black-and-white illustrations expand on the fun.–Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI
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Product Description

Moose's Big Idea is a Marshall Cavendish publication.


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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 51 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (April 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761452125
• ISBN-13: 978-0761452126
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,181,628 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 The Moose in Winter, October 29, 2005

By	M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Even for a moose, Moose was funny looking. His eyes were as tiny as marbles. His nose looked like a huge baked potato. His knees knocked. But nobody noticed how funny looking Moose was. And all because of his antlers."

So begins this witty and original 53-page chapter book about a moose coping with his dropped antlers. Panicked, he calls his mom, who reassures him that they'll grow back, bigger and stronger than ever. Still, young Moose doesn't feel Moose-ish anymore. Furthermore, it's now hunting season, and Moose must stay inside. Only his art, his doughnut baking and his friend Hildy (an optimistic pig with a big heart and a ready laugh) keep Moose's boredom at bay.

Contrary to author Greene's premise that Moose must stay indoors, Moose takes his doughnuts and paintings to the forest. Here, he meets a blue-collar hunter so bad at hunting that he figures all the moose "were lying on the beach somewhere, sipping fancy drinks and eating tortilla chips." Moose cleverly disguises his Moose-hood, ("Say aren't you a moose?..." "Have you ever heard of a moose who cooks?") and the two have doughnuts. Moose even sells him some paintings, and he tells the hunter/failed artist, "There's no such thing as good or bad in art"..."there's just different styles." The absent-minded hunter has two more encounters with moose, not realizing that each time he's seeing Moose, and each time, Moose helps the somewhat ill suited outdoorsman. The hunter is impressed: "Take it from me... There's no good or bad with moose; there are just different styles."

Greene is a clever writer, and the dialogue between Moose and hunter is very funny. She's also very imaginative in her portrayal of the doughnut making, painting, rowing, checkers-playing, and slightly vain moose. I thought that Hildy got a bit lost in the narrative, and it initially threw me that the hunter didn't recognize Moose after three meetings. Still, the book succeeds on its humor, and the simple message of acceptance of oneself and others. The book meanders a bit--there's no real main point--but I enjoyed this character driven approach (versus a more linear plot).The short chapters can stand alone for brief reading or the ambitious reader/listener can consume it all at once. (The repetitive language and short sentences make this a good one for the young-though not beginning-readers.) The black and white pictures by Joe Mathieu, done in pencil, pen, India ink, and gray wash, are nicely shaded and evoke the cold but northern beautiful winter and spring. Greene is currently working on another `Moose and Hildy' book; I'm looking forward to reviewing it.