Gumption!

PreS-Gr 2 As this story opens, Uncle Nigel has just invited young Peter to accompany him on an expedition to Africa to search for the rare and wild "Zimbobo Mountain Gorilla." In matching khaki shorts and pith helmets, the two set off. When the boy expresses trepidation at each obstacle they encounter (a dense thicket, the sun-scorched plain, etc.), the man replies, "Nonsense, my boy! All it takes is a bit of gumption." Ironically, as the elder forges on with great effort, Peter is assisted by an assortment of jungle creatures, each of whom also snitches part of his uncle's gear. These moments, where "Peter tried to follow," are depicted in a sequence of four vertical panels per spread, thus conveying a lot of action in a compressed space. The last helper is none other than the rare gorilla, who carries Peter on his back while all Uncle Nigel sees is footprints. Egielski's style is similar to his work in Jonah Winter's "The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert & Sullivan" (Scholastic, 2009). The characters are foregrounded, their feet close to the branchlike borders that frame each scene. The depth of field is shallow, as if the action is playing out on a stage. The repetitive phrases, succinct text, bold watercolors, and heavy black outlines combine to make this a successful selection for group sharing. Youngsters will enjoy being in on the humor created by a clueless adult and animal antics. They'll also absorb a new wordand possibly an attitude."Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.