Digging for Diamonds

10/5/2020

Gnu and Shrew by Danny Schnitzlein ill by Anca Sandu

Meet a most unlikely pair. Gnu and Shrew sit together on the banks of a crocodile infested river. Gnu shares a secret with his friend: a cave filled with diamonds is on the other side of this very wide and deep river. Gnu dreams of someday obtaining the diamonds. With wealth from these gems he could get his own Ferris wheel or perhaps a golden bicycle.
As he imagines the possibilities, the bespectacled Shrew sets to work, figuring out how to cross the river. Gnu’s musings spark Shrew's thought processes. For example a revolving wheel has a possible practical application for a paddleboat design.

It will come as no surprise that Shrew's skill and hard work pay off. He obtains the diamonds and sets off to travel around the world. Success is his.
But what will become of Gnu? Schmitzlein gives this tale of perseverance and friendship a happy ending. The final page offers a hint to the happily-ever-after for this twosome. Hurrah for Gnu and Shrew.

A word about the illustrations. Sandu restricts the main color palette to deep yellow and complementary turquoise This color scheme accents the contrasting natures of the two protagonists. The cover features Gnu dreamily gazing at a butterfly while Shrew, tongue sticking out, is concentrating on the workings of a lightbulb. However, the animals are not drawn to scale. Similar sizes suggest that each character is equally important.

Discussion Guide: Points to Consider

This book can be introduced by inviting readers to view the cover and then consider: What is a gnu? What is a shrew? Which character on the cover do you suspect is the gnu and which is the shrew? Why do you think you may be correct?

Facts about two uncommon animals.

Meet the gnu. This member of the antelope family is native to Africa. The horned animals with shaggy manes and tails are very strong and can run up to 50 miles per hour. Their main predators include lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and crocodiles. Often gnus that attempt to cross a river are attacked and eaten by crocodiles. The gnu is also known as a wildebeest.

Note: The "g" is not voiced. It might be interesting to discover other words that begin with "gn." Hint: gnat, gnome and gnaw are three common words.

Shrews are tiny mole-like animals with long noses and very sharp, spiky teeth. They have small eyes and cannot see well but have excellent senses of hearing and smell. They are very active and need to eat constantly. A shrew can consume from one half to two times its body weight each day! Shrews are venomous. The venom is stored within grooves in the shrew's teeth.
There are 385 different species of shrews. They can be found throughout the world.

Why do you think that the author selected these animals for the story?

The Power of Bold Ideas

There are dreamers like Gnu who imagine great things. There are makers like Shrew who experiment and develop solutions to problems. Together, the two make a great pair. Bold ideas combined with effort can produce remarkable results. In September 1962, President John F. Kennedy suggested that man could go to the moon. At the time it seemed unlikely. The dream was achieved in July 1969 after seven years of planning, testing, and experimenting by a team of technicians, scientists, engineers, and astronauts.