Groundhog's Runaway Shadow

by David Biedrzycki, David Biedrzycki (Illustrator)

Overview

Where does the groundhog's shadow go?

Phil and his shadow do everything together. But where Phil is steady, predictable, and a little boring, Shadow is adventurous, freewheeling—even a bit rude. So they don't get along so well anymore. Fed up, the two have a falling-out, and Shadow runs off to see the world.

Being friends isn't always easy. True friends, however, always find their way back to each other. If the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow come February 2nd, young readers will have an idea of where it might be, based on this heartwarming laugh-out-loud story accompanied by David Biedrzycki’s hilarious illustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580897341
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	12/06/2016
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	957,722
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Biedrzycki is the author and illustrator of the Breaking News series, the Me and My Dragon series, and the Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective series. He has also illustrated many picture books, including THE BEETLE ALPHABET BOOK and DORY STORY by Jerry Pallotta. David lives in Medfield, Massachusetts.

Read an Excerpt

The only thing that could keep up with little Phil Groundhog was...his shadow! No matter how fast he ran or how high he jumped, his shadow followed his every move. Whether he laughed or cried, his shadow was always right there beside him. Even when Phil felt small, his shadow could make him feel bigger. 
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Groundhog's Runaway Shadow"
by .
Copyright © 2016 David Biedrzycki.
Excerpted by permission of Charlesbridge.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

10/03/2016
Punxsutawney resident Phil, a furry brown groundhog, and his shadow have been constant companions but are growing apart, both in terms of personal proclivities (“Phil loved scary movies. Shadow, not so much”) and all-around outlook (“Phil liked to be on time. Shadow liked to stop and smell the roses”). Biedrzycki (Breaking News: Bears to the Rescue) maximizes the differences between Phil and Shadow by giving the groundhog and his fellow animals an almost three-dimensional roundness, setting them in a carefully detailed and brightly colored world. Shadow, meanwhile, is rendered in flat, fuzzy-edged, gray-blue silhouettes, though that doesn’t stop him from flirting with a rabbit on the subway or letting loose a giant burp while Phil quietly eats dinner. After matters come to a head, Shadow decamps to explore the world, eventually leading a remorseful Phil to seek out his absent companion. The somewhat drawn-out story can seem more like a platform for Biedrzycki’s comic vignettes of Shadow’s outsize behavior, but the Groundhog Day references are kept to a minimum, making this a story that could be enjoyed any time of year. Ages 4–8. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

A groundhog mutiny! Will Phil's shadow ever return? Phil Groundhog is so fast the only thing that can keep up with him is his shadow. When he was little, doing everything together was fun for both of them. But now that Phil's grown up, he's left behind childish things, carrying a briefcase and wearing a tie. "Shadow, not so much." When Phil plays the accordion, Shadow wails out on a trumpet, not always on key. At a nice restaurant, Shadow fills the air with burps. Finally, Phil loses his temper and tells his shadow to "just go away!" Shadow is crushed, then angry, then realizes that he's always wanted to travel; off he goes. But while Shadow is checking out the pyramids, Phil is searching high and low to find him. He posts signs and puts an ad in the newspaper, to no avail. One day Phil sees an article about a mysterious shadow near the Eiffel Tower. Meanwhile, after all the initial excitement, Shadow realizes that he's lonely too. Phil and Shadow find each other for a buoyant musical reunion, Phil on accordion and the shadow on trumpet. Biedrzycki's fable on friendship comes to hilarious life with his bold, colorful, loopy illustrations, done in Adobe Photoshop. His judicious mix of panels and full-bleed spreads expertly controls the book's pacing. Delightful.
- Kirkus Reviews

Punxsutawney resident Phil, a furry brown groundhog, and his shadow have been constant companions but are growing apart, both in terms of personal proclivities ("Phil loved scary movies. Shadow, not so much") and all-around outlook ("Phil liked to be on time. Shadow liked to stop and smell the roses"). Biedrzycki (Breaking News: Bears to the Rescue) maximizes the differences between Phil and Shadow by giving the groundhog and his fellow animals an almost three-dimensional roundness, setting them in a carefully detailed and brightly colored world. Shadow, meanwhile, is rendered in flat, fuzzy-edged, gray-blue silhouettes, though that doesn't stop him from flirting with a rabbit on the subway or letting loose a giant burp while Phil quietly eats dinner. After matters come to a head, Shadow decamps to explore the world, eventually leading a remorseful Phil to seek out his absent companion. The somewhat drawn-out story can seem more like a platform for Biedrzycki's comic vignettes of Shadow's outsize behavior, but the Groundhog Day references are kept to a minimum, making this a story that could be enjoyed any time of year.
- Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

12/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—As Phil the groundhog matures, he has less and less appreciation for his shadow. Once a welcome companion who helped Phil through the tricky parts of growing up, Shadow wants different things, and as adults, the two go their own ways. Shadow is eager to have adventures, and Phil loves his ever more placid life. Their time apart affords them each a new perspective, and their reunion (after a frantic search) is no surprise; friends need each other. Those who have outgrown a friendship will recognize themselves in the characters. Older readers might even see a bit of the typical re-creation of self that occurs in adolescence. Biedrzycki's soft-edged digital drawings of goofy animals alternate between full-page spreads and episodic comic panels that help convey the passage of time and change in setting. VERDICT A fun read-aloud with a subtle life lesson for Groundhog Day and beyond.—Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School, Providence

School Library Journal

2016-09-19
A groundhog mutiny! Will Phils shadow ever return?Phil Groundhog is so fast the only thing that can keep up with him is his shadow. When he was little, doing everything together was fun for both of them. But now that Phils grown up, hes left behind childish things, carrying a briefcase and wearing a tie. Shadow, not so much. When Phil plays the accordion, Shadow wails out on a trumpet, not always on key. At a nice restaurant, Shadow fills the air with burps. Finally, Phil loses his temper and tells his shadow to just go away! Shadow is crushed, then angry, then realizes that hes always wanted to travel; off he goes. But while Shadow is checking out the pyramids, Phil is searching high and low to find him. He posts signs and puts an ad in the newspaper, to no avail. One day Phil sees an article about a mysterious shadow near the Eiffel Tower. Meanwhile, after all the initial excitement, Shadow realizes that hes lonely too. Phil and Shadow find each other for a buoyant musical reunion, Phil on accordion and the shadow on trumpet. Biedrzyckis fable on friendship comes to hilarious life with his bold, colorful, loopy illustrations, done in Adobe Photoshop. His judicious mix of panels and full-bleed spreads expertly controls the books pacing. Delightful. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews