And I hope “Backyard Bullies” will end up being the first in a long series of adventures featuring these unlikely pals; Gus, an orange bob-tailed cat, and Isaac, a fraidy-cat seagull who gets air sickness flying any higher than the top of a house.
The book tells a timely (and timeless) story about defeating bullies. Word-wise it’s the most fun to read since Al Pittman’s “Down by Jim Long’s Stage.”
Isaac is up on the roof one day — minding his own business — when he sees newcomer to the neighbourhood, Gus, being ganged up on. The other cats are picking on him, simply for not having a tail.
Nervous as he is, this offends Gus’s sense of justice, and he intervenes — as only a seagull might.
Then, working as a team, and using a “spudgel” of rainwater, (don’t worry, that word is explained in the book) they fight off the three aggressors.
Like Pittman’s book, the narrative of the story incorporates words and idioms from the Newfoundland and Labrador dialect (there’s a brief glossary at the back).
This adds to the fun adult readers will have sharing the book with little ones, and it opens the door for grown-ups doing the reading to share memories and add stories of their own.
Grant Boland’s whimsical illustrations harmonize beautifully with the text in telling the story visually. Boland is a terrific artist, and his caricatures will appeal to adult readers who enjoy comic strips — like, say, Mother Goose and Grimm, Bloom County, or Calvin and Hobbes.
This book knows itself — what it wants to do and how to go about it.
The topic of bullying is serious, of course, but the book’s lighthearted tone allows the message to get across without being instructive or preachy. In fact, it shows how ridiculous bullies and their aggressive, intrusive behavior are.
The story and Debbie Hanlon’s text incorporate sub-themes to bullying: on being different; overcoming your fears; helping; and friendship.
So a story that is already lively and worthwhile and readable becomes even more satisfying and rich.
Actually, this book is attractively done in every respect. Heavy medium gloss paper brings out the vibrant colours of Boland’s illustrations; they’re bold and bright, but deep, which makes them easy on the eyes, with softer hues for backgrounds.
Children can relate easily to this story, and Hanlon’s use of language is so fun to read, adults will have a great time reading it out loud at bedtime.
In fact it’s the perfect going-to-bed story for young children.
Ask for it at your public library.
Darrell Squires is assistant manager of Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries, West Newfoundland-Labrador division. You can contact him at: dsquires@nlpl.ca or by phone at 634-7333. His column appears every other week.
New titles:
“Abraham Lincoln: vampire hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith (Horror Fiction)
“Love Finds You in Snowball Arkansas” by Sandra Bricker (Christian Fiction)
“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgernstern (Magic Fiction)
“Shatter the Bones” by Stuart MacBride (Mystery Fiction)
“Everlasting” by Alyson Noel (Young Adult Fiction)
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: cabin fever” by Jeff Kinney (Children’s Fiction)
“Is Your Teen Stressed or Depressed: a practical and inspirational guide for parents of hurting teens” by Archibald D. Hart (Adult Non-Fiction)
“101 Ways to Find a Ghost: essential tools, tips and techniques to uncover paranormal activity” by Melissa Martin Ellis (Adult Non-Fiction)
“GLBTQ: the survival guide for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens” by Kelly Huegel (Adult Non-Fiction)
“Bridesmaids” (Adult DVD)
Source: Jessica Prince, City Librarian, Corner Brook Public Library
