Huck Runs Amuck!

by Sean Taylor, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet Huck. He loves flowers. FLOWERS, FLOWERS, FLOWERS. And he'll do whatever it takes to get a mouthful: climb the highest mountain, walk a tightrope, even defy speeding trains! It's true, he can't resist! But when his mad dash up a church spire is mistaken for a heroic attempt to save Mrs. Spooner's flowery hat (rather than a determined effort to eat it), Huck has a crisis of conscience. Can anything deter this goat from his gastronomical bliss?

For fans of Skippyjon Jones and Click, Clack, Moo comes an all-purpose, year-round kid-pleaser that will have kids shouting, laughing, and clapping along. This goofy goat also advocates a subtle lesson in setting aside your own desires for the greater good of others. With a heart to rival his appetite (and that's a BIG appetite!), Huck is not to be missed.

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101642641
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/19/2011
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sean Taylor is the multiple-award- winning author of When a Monster Is Born. He splits his time between England and Brazil.

Peter H. Reynolds is the bestselling illustrator of Someday and Little Boy, among many other award-winning picture books. He lives in Needham, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

With buckteeth and goggle eyes, Huck the goat is a flower-devouring hero with his share of ups and downs: up a precarious mountain and (falling) down to the village below, up a church spire to eat a flowered hat and (after a change of heart) down to return it to the grateful owner. In a departure from his more gently inspirational books, Reynolds proves that his loose ink-and-watercolor illustrations can adeptly convey action—and broad comedy—as he and Taylor play up the twisty misadventures that befall Huck. Each event is accompanied by interactive prompts ("UH-OH... he's not going to eat Mrs. Tuppleton's flowery underpants, is he? He is! He can't resist!"). Both author and artist play up the humor throughout; instead of grabbing flowers after a near-miss with a train, Huck ends up with "something else" in his teeth—a roll of pink toilet paper. Taylor's mainly unrhymed text switches to verse whenever Huck makes a grab for his beloved flowers: "He's up on the bridge without hesitation/. He's a clickety-clackety, climbing sensation!" The repeated exclamations are sure to have young readers joining in. Ages 5–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2—Huck the mountain goat is a good climber and an avid muncher. "Like most goats, Huck will eat most things. Cardboard boxes. Woolly gloves. Birds' nests." However, what inspires him to great heights—literally—are flowers. This is the story of one goat's ambition, punctuated by a progression of funny mishaps. Taylor has designed a participatory adventure, using exclamations and questions to involve his audience. "But look! What's that?" "Uh-oh...Huck's not going to...is he?" (The answer to which is almost always, "He is! He can't resist!") These words jump off the page in a large font. Reynolds enhances the book with artwork done in watercolors, ink, and tea, along with clever perspectives, appealing colors, and a large dose of humor. Huck's bug-eyed, gangly energy is engaging. A delightful story for any occasion.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

School Library Journal

Huck is a goat with an eclectic appetite. But most of the usual goat edibles just don't tickle the taste buds. He finds that woolly gloves stick in his teeth, and "cardboard boxes taste like boring afternoons." His all-time favorite tasty treats are flowers. It doesn't matter whether they are on top of a mountain or in Mr. Watson's bouquet or on Mrs. Spooner's hat. Even flower patterns on clothing or table linens call to him. Huck tries, but each attempt to reach those elusive flowers leads to disaster, leaving him tumbling down a mountain, being chased by a big dog, colliding with a bicycle. But this intrepid (or, shall we say, maniacal) goat remains undaunted by fear, prior experience or reason. Taylor employs simple, conversational language in a fast-paced, almost breathless, easy-breezy cadence that draws readers right into Huck's adventures. Double-page spreads of Reynolds' detailed, cartoon-like, watercolor, ink and tea illustrations on a bright, white background surround the large-print text. Words and phrases like, "Uh-oh," and "Oh No," and the often-repeated "He can't resist!" are boldly hand-lettered for emphasis. But Huck is the star here; his expressions are wildly enthusiastic, goofy and totally demented. Hilarious, laugh-out-loud fun. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews