The Beaver

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In prose as streamlined and sturdy as the beaver itself, Rounds (Cowboys; Once We Had a Horse) describes the habitat and habits of that furry pond-dweller. Readers learn a bit about how and why dams are made, how the beaver eats bark by holding a branch in his paws and gnawing it "like a man eating corn off the cob," etc. Color illustrations, paired with black-and-white sketches, rely on playful draftsmanship for a sense of movement and flow; the color has a textured effect, as if rendered in crayons or pastels, and is bounded by heavy outlines. In an afterword, Rounds punctures some common myths about beavers--notably that, contrary to the term "working like beavers," these critters rarely "hustle," but rather bite off just a little at a time, as it were, leaving plenty of room for naps and noshing. Amiable and low-key, this picture book serves as a useful introduction to the subject. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Children's Literature - Betsy Barnett

Rounds has taken his sharp, somewhat childish art and combined simple words and phrases in the text to create an informational book about beavers that is simply outstanding. Readers young and old will gain a wealth of knowledge about the industrious beaver as Rounds relates how and why beavers build dams, where they live, what they eat, and what comprises their daily routine. The best part of this work is found in the final pages, called "Fact or Fiction?", where Rounds explains in laconic humor that many myths and stories about the beaver simply aren't true and the work of our industrious friend comes mostly by accident as the beaver goes about his daily business. An excellent addition to school and public libraries.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Straightforward, easy-to-read prose describes the animal's behavior-such as tree cutting, bark eating, and dam building-all in large, clear print and accompanied by freewheeling, flat, cartoon drawings. The figures are outlined in bold black lines and minimal, pebbly textured colors fill in the forms. Despite their simplicity, the full-page illustrations have life, character, and charm. Each text page also has a black-and-white vignette of a beaver. Although neither the animals nor the settings are intricately detailed, Rounds captures the essence of beaverness, and his writing is accurate and brisk. Two pages of beaver facts and fictions are appended. A swimmingly successful introduction to this industrious creature.-Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Long

[T]he text, outlining the beaver's daily habits and modus vivendi, is a model of how to convey a wealth of information in just a few clear, well-phrased statements...Because Rounds has been observing beavers, and drawing and writing about them, most of his life, he brings an extraordinary intimacy and authenticity to his subject.
— The Horn Book Review