Little beaver and the echo

Born in Beverly, Massachusetts, Amy MacDonald received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and worked in a number of positions related to writing and publishing before publishing her first children’s book. Little Beaver and the Echo was cited as one of the year’s Top Ten children’s books by the New York Times and as a Best Book of the Year by Parents magazine. Her other books include Rachel Fister’s Blister, Cousin Ruth’s Tooth, No More Nice, and Please Malese! As an author, MacDonald has won various awards, from Horn Book Fanfare Awards to the IRA/CBC Children’s Choice, Ten Best Books for Babies, and the Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Medal. She lives in Falmouth, Maine, with her husband and children.

PreSchool-Grade 1-- A cumulative, didactic tale. Hearing his own cry, "I need a friend," called back from across the pond, Little Beaver sets out to find the creature who shares his problem. As he journeys to find out who was crying, he is joined by an otter, a duck, and a turtle, all of whom also want companionship. Ultimately, they meet a wise old beaver who explains about Echo, and they make Echo sound happy when they discover that they are friends. Little Beaver is a fat, furry little fellow who is apparently intended to look natural, although he has the demeanor of a greeting card creature. This anthropomorphic approach is neither realistic nor convincing in presenting a human dilemma enacted by animals. The lovely soft watercolor scenes bespeak the British artist's experience as a natural-history illustrator. The issue concerning Echo is somewhat confusing, however, and the flat, precious conclusion about friendship is clearly stated but predictable. --Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.