Petal and Poppy

by Lisa Clough, Ed Briant (Illustrator)

Overview

In Petal and Poppy, young readers are introduced to these charming characters. Petal gets very nervous when Poppy decides to go scuba diving. What if she's eaten by a sea monster? Poppy thinks Petal is just being a worrywart. Perhaps. But maybe that's a good thing. Because when Poppy does find herself in a little trouble, who comes to her rescue? Petal!

With simple vocabulary, short sentences, and ample picture clues, this new Green Light Readers series will inspire and instruct young readers on their journey to becoming lifelong readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544113800
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Series:	Green Light Readers Level 2
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	360L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Lisa Jahn-Clough has written and illustrated many picture books for young children, including Alicia Has a Bad Day, My Friend and I, Missing Molly, and Simon and Molly Plus Hester. She is the author of the Green Light reader series Petal and Poppy and has published several young adult novels and a recent chapter book. She is associate professor of creative writing at Rowan University and also works as a mentor in the Hamline University Low-Residency MFA program in writing for children and young adults. You can find out more at lisajahnclough.com.

Ed Briant has published for Flux Llewelyn, Roaring Book, Greenwillow Press, and Atheneum. His first book, Paper Parade, was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start. He is also the author and illustrator of the weekly comic Tales from the Slushpile, published online with Publishers Weekly's Children's Bookshelf since 2005. He has taught illustration at Delaware College of Art and Design in Wilmington, Delaware.

 

Editorial Reviews

01/20/2014
As she did in Felicity & Cordelia: A Tale of Two Bunnies, Clough pairs up an adventure seeker and a worrywart in this addition to the publisher’s Green Light Readers line of leveled readers. Though Petal the elephant enjoys practicing her tuba, her playing (“BAH-BWAB-BAAH!”) irks rhino Poppy, who decides to go scuba diving to escape the din. Imagining the calamities that might await her friend, Petal insists on accompanying Poppy in her sailing dinghy. The sound of Petal’s music guides Poppy to the boat when she gets lost in the fog, and Poppy in turn rescues Petal after she jumps in the water to look for her friend. The story unfolds entirely through the characters’ tidy dialogue and musings, which appear in speech and thought balloons. Briant’s (Don’t Look Now) illustrations also play a vital role in the storytelling; the action moves forward in rectangular comics-style panels, and the bright teals and oranges of his palette help make the friends’ seaside home feel inviting and picturesque. This odd couple also stars in Petal and Poppy and the Penguin, due simultaneously. Ages 6–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"The fog leaves me agog."
—Lemony Snicket "The story unfolds entirely through the characters' tidy dialogue and musings, which appear in speech and thought balloons. . . the action moves forward in rectangular comics-style panels, and the bright teals and oranges of his palette help make the friends' seaside home feel inviting and picturesque."
—Publishers Weekly "The simple story with clear, bright art demonstrates that friends do not always need to agree and bobs along as buoyantly as sun across the water...A blithe and breezy charmer."
—Kirkus "The vibrant, graphic illustrations in comics-style panels and text aimed skillfully at newly emergent readers combine to tell a heartwarming story of how unexpected courage, kindness, and compromise can strengthen friendships. New readers will look forward to more adventures from Petal and Poppy."
—Booklist —

From the Publisher

2014-02-19
An elephant and a rhino can't see eye to eye, but they eventually find a helpful middle ground. Petal, a wide-eyed elephant sporting a flowery hat and cheery heart-printed dress, is thrilled her friend Poppy is not around so she can practice her tuba. Little does she know that Poppy, a rhino in a bikini, is sitting nearby, quietly reading. Disrupted by the music, Poppy declares it an opportune time to scuba dive. Petal worries about her friend and decides to join her on the boat. After her dive, when Poppy returns to the surface, she discovers the fog has rolled in, obscuring her boat. Happily, Petal's resonant tuba serves as a foghorn and helps reunite the friends. The simple story with clear, bright art demonstrates that friends do not always need to agree and bobs along as buoyantly as sun across the water. Although a sweet and cheery pair, Petal and Poppy may not have enough oomph—be it laughs, silliness or a winning combination of the two—to stand out in an already glutted market of early-reader buddy stories. Still, readers beguiled by the elephant-rhino pals may want to check out their second tale, Petal and Poppy and the Penguin, publishing simultaneously. A blithe and breezy charmer. (Graphic early reader. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews