Review by Booklist Review
Is it an elephant? Is it a meteorite? A dinosaur? The animals of the Great Forest don't know what to make of the blue camper van that arrives one night atop Howling Hill, but they do know it's trouble. The wolves and the bears howl and growl, trying to intimidate it away. The boars try to push it off the hill, and the foxes and badgers try burying it, but it will not budge. Finally, the wise old owl sends the forest's tiniest inhabitants, the midges and mosquitoes and bees and wasps, into the heart of the beast, and sure enough, it turns tail. The Great Forest is peaceful once more but for how long? Hoots, toots, buzzes, and puffs make for a fun read-aloud experience, while goofy illustrations in a naturalistic palette match the energy of this silly story. The digitally created art has a loosey-goosey painting style reminiscent of Vladimir Radunsky's You? (2009) or Hip Hop Dog (2010). Although mildly xenophobic, The Big Blue Thing on the Hill is just for fun.--Willey, Paula Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Zommer makes a rousing debut with a story about forest creatures faced with a menacing adversary. "It's a meteorite!" cry the bears. "It's a spaceship!" shout the wolves. Spoiler: it's a VW microbus, and it stops right at the top of Howling Hill, the very spot where boars, badgers, bears, and foxes practice making terrifying noises at night. Several plans to defeat the so-called Big Blue Thing fail ("They huffed and puffed as they pushed and shoved with all their might") until the Wisest Old Owl instructs the animals to organize the local insects into a Big Bug Flying Squad, whose swarms achieve in short order what howling and growing could not. Zommer's digital artwork retains a cozy, painterly sense as he gives the boars splotchy coats, the insects delicate wings, and the microbus dainty white curtains (its human inhabitants never emerge). Best of all are his hilarious predators, whose cross-eyed stares, sheepish expressions, and toothy grins make them instantly loveable. Children will delight in the creatures' dogged efforts to reclaim their home, and they'll appreciate the bonus ending-after-the-ending, too. Ages 3-7. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Colorful, digitally created illustrations reveal the Great Forest and all its inhabitants living peacefully side by side. Life is good, and the bears, wolves, badgers, boars, and other creatures have their routine: sleep during the day and venture out at night. All's well until a Volkswagen bus, "a big blue thing," so-named by the foxes, roars into their territory and settles itself on top of the hill. The animals, perturbed by the intruder, team up to rid their hill of the disturber of their peace. Howling, growling, and pushing don't work, so a meeting is called. The "Wisest Old Owl," deciding upon a plan of action, calls forth the smallest creatures for their assistance. The text changes in shape and size, giving movement and emphasis to the tale. Watching the forest denizens band together against an interloper is an enjoyable example of teamwork, with the tiniest critters saving the day. The pictures display variety in the animals' faces and demeanor and resemble gouache paintings. Children will enjoy contemplating the animals' next plan of action and appreciate the surprise ending.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI (c) Copyright 2014. 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
When a "terrifying" blue creature (a van) appears one night, the large forest animals can't chase it away with howling, growling, or pushing. Instead, it's the stinging insects "and a snake or two" that finally succeed. The story logic falters somewhat (wouldn't the racket have awakened the humans?), but it's amusing to consider campers (visible only as shadows) from the animals' perspective. (c) Copyright 2016. 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When a mysterious "big blue thing" appears, forest animals are baffled and afraid, so they try to make it leave.Readers (or their parents) will know that the "thing" is a VW bus, but the animals don't. Nevertheless, they sense that it poses danger. After much speculation about what it might be (an elephant? a dinosaur? a thing?), the wolves suggest frightening it away. They howl at it in the night, all to no avail. The bears are equally unsuccessful in spooking it with growls, and the wild boars' huffs, puffs, pushes and shoves can't budge it either. The smaller creatures (foxes, badgers and weasels) then try to dig around it and bury itonly to have it make a noise. This frightens everyone, and they run to seek the counsel of the Wise Owls, who suggest that the very smallest of creatures form a "BIG BUG FLYING SQUAD" with "a snake or twofor good measure" to swarm the big blue thing. Lo and behold, the plan works, and the animals can enjoy their pristine wilderness in peaceuntil another visitor arrives to deliver a space-age punch line. While the story never explains why the thing is unquestionably a threat, it revels in its telling, and detailed, playful, digital art succeeds in heightening humor. One thing's for sure: This will be a big hit. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
