Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake ill by Jon Klassen
 | My first impulse while reading Skunk and Badger: I really want to invite Amy Timberlake to tea. I imagine a delightful afternoon, chatting with someone who conjures up a tale of a peculiar little Badger, living in Aunt Lula’s brownstone and devoting his days to Important Rock Work. This fastidious fellow is in for the shock of his life when Aunt Lula also invites Skunk to live in the brownstone. Skunk’s lifestyle is decidedly different from Badger's. He loves to cook, concocting scrumptious meals, but leaves washing the dishes to Badger. A gregarious fellow, he wants to chat while Badger is accustomed to hours of quiet devotion to his rocks. The ultimate test of the roommates’ compatibility is chickens. Skunk invites an astonishing number to their home. The brownstone is filled with incessant bocking and feathers scattered everywhere. Inevitably there is skunk spray. That the conflict will be resolved is never in doubt. It’s how the pair will iron out their differences that will keep readers engaged. |
The narrative is seasoned with charming asides, inner dialog, and clever word play. Reading aloud is an extra treat. Book recommendations appear in the The New Yak Times Book Review. Badger muses that chickens are here today, gone to leghorn. There is mention of special markings in the sand known as Chicken Scratch, the most ancient of chicken languages.
Timberlake lovingly pokes fun at her characters' idiosyncrasies which makes them all-the-more endearing. In the spirit of Christopher Robin saying “silly old bear” to Pooh, readers will be enamored with the fussy Badger who wears pickaxe-and-dynamite pajamas and strums E Huli Mākou on the ukulele. Skunk’s special chicken whistle to gather the chickens for story-reading sessions, will bring knowing smiles to teachers and librarians.
| The trailer offers a sneak peek at Klassen's signature style black and white illustrations. He captures the character of these two often maligned mammals with wit and charm. Look at that grin on Skunk's face! Another reason to love this tale. Come on over. I'll put the kettle on, and we'll have great fun getting acquainted with Skunk and Badger. | |
A tale of a mismatched pair who work through the inevitable difficulties of sharing a home. It's The Wind in the Willows meets Frog and Toad and it's destined to be a classic. Want more good news? This is Book 1. There will be more Badger and Skunk. Hurrah! Hurrah!
Electronic copy accessed via Edelweiss.
Pub date: September 15, 2020 Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers ISBN: 978-1643750057
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