Rascal Farms

The author sent me a copy of his book to review. The review is done by Children's Picture Book Specialist, Pat Koelmel:

Well, Mr. Anderson Atlas, author of Morty’s Travels (see my review of 2/27/2017), has written yet another picture book for ages 4 and up; although, I’d be willing to bet that even younger ones would appreciate the antics of the woodland animals featured in this particular story. Here’s a brief summary: A hungry raccoon, tired of eating slugs and pinecones, stumbles upon a farm and proceeds to raid the crops. Soon all the other animals follow suit, and before long, there’s nothing left. After, the animals realize what they’ve done and try to make amends.

Overall, while I enjoyed the story, there were several things that didn’t work for me. For instance, I wish that the animals would have somehow noticed how their stealing was affecting the farm and the family who lived there before it was entirely depleted. And why the farmer didn’t do anything to stop them either is a mystery. As for the ending, I would have liked to have seen the animals compensate the farmer by reseeding his farm instead of growing their own crops in the forest and delivering only a small box of food as reparation. I would also suggest that the author take a closer look when editing. I noticed a number of repetitive phrases and a typo or two.

Okay, now for the things that did work. First on my list were the many clever solutions the animals came up with in order to feed their own families in the future. What also stood out for me was how well the author communicated three out of the five senses (sight, smell, and taste) when the raccoon first encountered the farm’s bounty of food. Given the fact that the use of any of the five senses helps the reader to truly connect with a story, I was right there on the farm with the raccoon. But, all in all, my favorite thing about Mr. Atlas’s writing is that I get a clear sense of his passion for storytelling.

So, do I recommend this book? That would be a yes for the pluses just cited, the super cute animal drawings, and the author’s ability to make little kids (and big kids, like me) giggle.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Comment: Some of the funniest picture books I know feature animals. Outstanding examples include Henny by Elizabeth Rose Stanton, Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins, Snappsy the Alligator by Julie Falatko (author) and Tim Miller (illustrator), and Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin (author) and Betsy Lewin (illustrator). Another favorite featuring a mythical creature is Larf by Ashley Spires.