Review by Booklist Review
Ages 3^-6. Remembering what his mother told him ("If you see your shadow on Groundhog Day . . . winter will last six more weeks" ), Geoffrey Groundhog emerges from his burrow and checks out the ground, then hurries to the offices of the Daily Gazette to report his forecast. Because Geoffrey's success in predicting the weather makes him an overnight celebrity, the next year on February 2, he pops up into the blinding glare of lights and cameras and the confusion of a media event. He's flustered and unsure about the shadow signs, but a call to his mom saves the day. Cartoonlike ink drawings with gentle watercolor washes add more than a touch of humor to this appealing holiday story. Read it for Groundhog Day, or save it for Mother's Day, when its wit could serve as an antidote for an overdose of sentimentality. --Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As if a Bill Murray movie wasn't enough, the Groundhog Day tradition gets additional play in the controlled mayhem of this picture book. Geoffrey Groundhog awakens one February 2nd and applies his mother's teachings to predict when spring will arrive. Reported in the local newspaper, his forecast proves correct, and all the animals of Mooseflats County are duly impressed. The following year, pigs, deer, and rabbits surround Geoffrey's burrow-but so many TV lights flash in Geoffrey's eyes that he can't tell whether he has seen his shadow or not. The media madness mounts-and subsides only after Geoffrey calls on his mother for expert counsel. Koscielniak (Bear and Bunny Grow Tomatoes) tones down the frenzy of activity with a subdued palette of olive greens, browns and other wintry hues. At the same time he keeps the tone light, integrating into his narrative humorous newspaper headlines (``Was There a Shadow? Weather Picture Muddled'') and lacing his antic ink-and-watercolor illustrations with satisfyingly silly scenery, like a matronly pig balancing a tray of teacups at the annual Spring Tea. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2Predicting the weather seems easy to Geoffrey Groundhog, who recalls his mother's advice regarding the sighting of his shadow on February 2. He reports his findings to Merton Moose at the newspaper, and the following year, various townsfolk eagerly await his prediction. Billboards and posters exploit his image to sell products from toothpaste to ``Ground Hoggers Jogging Shoes.'' As Geoffrey sleeps, unaware of the turmoil, television cameras and reporters gather near the entrance of his burrow, waiting for him to appear. Imagine his surprise when he dashes out, only to be bombarded with flashing lights and questions! With all the turmoil, he can't see anything, leaving the town desperately seeking weather information. Geoffrey's solutionto call his mother for her sightingwill be humorous and reassuring to young audiences. Unfortunately, the real humorthe satirical pervasiveness of the mediamight be lost on them. Though reasons for the sequence of events often remain unclear, the energetic watercolor and pen drawings vividly depict both the chaotic media influence and the snowy calm of the town in its usual state, including endearing characters and an appealing cover.Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Young Geoffrey Groundhog becomes the victim of media hype. It happens when he makes an innocent trip to the town newspaper to report an early spring the first year he has the responsibility for checking his shadow. The tongue-in-cheek tale is made humorous by good-natured, softly colored cartoonlike illustrations. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
