Children's Literature
- Melissa Rife
When Professor W. Groundhog predicts the weather wrong on Groundhog Day, he gets a letter from Rabbit, suggesting he train more groundhogs to help him. Rabbit suggests that more groundhogs be trained to look for their shadows all across the country. So, the professor sets out to find new recruits. As those recruits learn in Groundhog School all about groundhogs, predicting the weather, making burrows, and more, so does the reader. Factual information is presented through dialogue, "reports" turned in the by groundhog students, and a play presented by the students. On the page that shows Professor Groundhog's ad for finding groundhogs, children will subtly learn about mammals, burrows, rodents, herbivores, and what hibernation is. As the groundhogs take their final exam, the reader, too, gets to see how much he/she has learned from the book. Subtle jokes are hidden within the book, thus broadening its appeal to older children and parents. The illustrations are large, colorful, and very detailed. Between these illustrations and the cute story, you almost forget that the picture book you are reading is actually made up mainly of facts. The last page provides further information about how Groundhog Day came to exist and challenges the readers to begin their own experiment to predict the weather. Reviewer: Melissa Rife
Booklist
[S]o varied and so often witty that children will absorb the facts effortlessly.
School Library Journal
Gr 2–4—This story combines elements of comic books, science lessons, a holiday tale, and history class. It opens with a groundhog incorrectly predicting the coming of spring, prompting a rabbit to write a letter suggesting that more groundhogs be trained and utilized to improve accuracy. Candidates are schooled in the fine points of groundhog physiology, nomenclature, Groundhog Day lore, seasonal changes, and weather patterns. After graduation, they take their places to make their predictions—without much change in the outcome. Sorra's amusing multimedia illustrations include comic frames, collage, and speech bubbles; each turn of the page provides another surprise. Holub does a good job keeping all the balls in the air—the groundhog school story line propels the stream of information—but accessibility is a problem. The text is too advanced for the primary grade students who are most likely to be celebrating Groundhog Day, and the book does not lend itself to reading to a group. Best for one-on-one sharing.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC
Kirkus Reviews
Holub presents a clever look at the weather as readers follow some groundhogs (and an imposter) through their training at Professor Groundhog's school. In their lessons (including "GeHOGraphy") they write reports on "Famous Furry Hognosticators," learn other natural weather predictors, read about famous figures in weather history, learn about burrow building, do a skit entitled, "The Reasons for Seasons" and experiment with making shadows. Readers can take "The BIG Test" along with students to see how much they have learned. Sorra's illustrations combine a scrapbook style, with letters, checklists and typed research reports, and a comic-book style complete with speech bubbles and panels. The result really lets readers get into the premise and allows for diverse facts to be presented in little snippets (and funny comments to be assigned to each unique groundhog). Bright colors, textures and the incorporation of found objects, as well as the busyness of each page will keep readers searching the artwork. Backmatter includes information about Groundhog Day. Nothing in-depth or too serious here, but good fun that will subtly teach in between laughs. (Picture book. 4-8)
