Leonard Shortall

Two poets wrote it so I expected lyricism, or deep meanings, but no. It's nonetheless charming, funny, and educational. I would have read and reread it when I was a child. The illustrator, he who did Encyclopedia Brown, enhanced the charm and themes.

I love that the boys wear life jackets when they go down to the pond. And that Pest climbs trees, uses binoculars, fetches a turtle, etc., though she's only in second grade. And that mother lets the boys use her biggest cooking pot. show more Nature-loving families, especially of kids in about second or third grade, will likely love this. show less

I probably would have liked this when I was a child. Pest, the younger sister, gets to really shine. And of course learning bits of ocean life would be interesting. But honestly, I suspected more from a couple of poets. Why are these so workmanlike?

Presents the text of the familiar song about farm animal noises and features a music box in the book that plays the melody.

cute, informative