By Rex B. Dye; illustrated by Anne Brush
Christian Homestead Press
www.homeschool-ch.com
8655 CR 318
Shreve, Ohio 44676
330-567-9933
Friendship Meadow introduces readers to a delightful menagerie of animal characters who befriend each other and live together in a lovely meadow complete with bubbling creeks, woods, and things to eat. This 126-page book is divided into ten lengthy chapters. A cute black-and-white illustration begins each chapter and gives young readers a picture of the various animals and their doings for that chapter's adventures.
Friendship Meadow revolves around the everyday activities of Digby, a furry little groundhog who is awakened one spring morning by a pesky voice calling, "Open your eyes!" He and his meadowland friends--Bouncer Rabbit, Chatty Squirrel, Zippy Quail, Speedy Turtle, and a host of others--welcome spring with great enthusiasm. Winter is past and now the fun of living can begin. Or can it? No sooner does Digby find a delightful place to take a snooze in the sunny meadow when a sudden terrible storm interrupts his life. Returning to find his underground home flooded, Digby hears the frantic cries of his rabbit friend, who is being washed downstream on a broken tree branch. The brave little groundhog shows true friendship by attempting a rescue. And so the adventure begins.
This story is written in an old-fashioned, narrative form. The author occasionally "talks" to the reader, giving the book a gentle, cozy pace, even in the midst of a dangerous scene. While the book could be read by children alone, some of the vocabulary and phrasings make the story a better choice as a read-aloud, especially with some of the more philosophical chats the animals have about the importance of friendship. Some parts of the narrative are lengthy, which could make a young reader lose interest and skip pages. However, as a read-aloud, the book offers some great teaching moments and opportunities for discussion.
The theme of the story is right on: friendship. And the biblical message of "a friend loves at all times" is carried throughout. True friends can be depended upon no matter how difficult life becomes. Whether they encounter a vicious dog or a flood-swollen stream, the animals of Friendship
Meadow show their true character by sticking together. This is a lesson that our children can never have too many examples to learn from.
Product review by Susan K. Marlow, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2010
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