Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls

Publishers Weekly

The titular dog and girl and their friend Bird are back. This time, Ebb is falsely accused of consuming the sandwiches at a beach picnic. "Once again the emotions are true to life, and the full-bleed art simply sweeps up readers," noted PW. Ages 3-7. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

A lovely boat trip to the beach takes a sour turn when a little dog, Ebb, is blamed for raiding the picnic basket. Poor Ebb is so incensed by his master's accusation that he settles in the rowboat for a good sulking. Suddenly, a storm blows up, tossing the boat and dog around like toys and eventually dumping Ebb onto the beach. By this time, Flo has realized that it was the seagulls that ate all of the picnic food. She welcomes Ebb back with open arms and apologizes for her misplaced blame. This simple, short story takes a backseat to the wonderful double-spread illustrations that beautifully capture a day by the sea. Both the language and style of the text have a distinctly English feel. Although the plotline is fairly predictable, Ebb carries the story with his expressions. 1999, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Ages 4 to 8, $14.95. Reviewer: Carol Lynch

School Library Journal

PreS-Misunderstanding and forgiveness create a simple friendship story with a lesson. Flo and her mother go on a picnic at the beach with Ebb the dog and their friend Bird. Ebb falls asleep on the sand and awakens to witness seagulls feasting on the picnic spread. When Flo and her mother return from their walk, they blame the dog for eating their meal. Ebb, shamed and in disgrace, sadly climbs into the boat to sulk. During a sudden rain shower, the gulls return to the picnic basket and Flo realizes that she has wrongly accused Ebb. In the meantime, the little boat drifts out to sea, spins, and crashes against some rocks, and the shaken pup crawls to shore, seaweed and all. Flo apologizes and all ends happily. It is the deceptively simple artwork with its varying perspectives and soft, colorful illustrations, predominantly in the blues and greens of the sea, that makes the book sparkle. Minimal facial details and the tilt of Ebb's tail and ears convey his range of emotions. Short, somewhat choppy sentences with repetitive phrases make the book useful as a beginning reader. Though not quite as successful as Ebb and Flo and the New Friend (McElderry, 1999), this book is a serviceable tale of false accusation and redemption.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|