The Barnes & Noble Review
What do you do when your best friend is blue? Toot won't stop moping, and his peppy pal Puddle is determined to cheer him up. TOOT & PUDDLE: YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE marks the return of Holly Hobbie's beloved pig pals in an endearing new story about friendship and feelings.
It's a beautiful day in Woodcock Pocket, but while Puddle's out having fun, Toot is at home moping. Though Puddle realizes that "everybody mopes sometimes," it still disturbs him to see his friend feeling so miserable — especially when this behavior continues for days. Puddle does everything he can think of to cheer up his pal, from making five-berry cobbler (Toot's favorite) to taking him on an adventure down the river. But while Toot dares to smile for a moment, he doesn't actually snap out of his unhappy state. As a last resort, Puddle decides to throw a party and invite everyone — because "there's nothing better than company." But even having a festive group of friends around doesn't cure Toot's melancholy mood.
Finally, Sunday morning arrives, bringing with it dark clouds and gloom. And late that night, a storm arrives — the "biggest and scariest storm Puddle could remember." It rages all night long, but Toot, unlike his friends, doesn't seem afraid. In fact, he stands outside in the pouring rain with thunder rumbling all around him. The next morning, Pocket Pond is flooded and the ground is a mess. But "the air felt different, more fresh and exciting, and the world seemed crisp and new." And the old Toot is back — with his head held high, a bounce in his step, and a smileplasteredacross his face. Finally, Toot has stopped moping, for as Puddle explains, "Sometimes you need a big whopping thunderstorm to clear the air."
A warm, wonderful story, TOOT & PUDDLE: YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE assures youngsters that it's OK to feel sad for no particular reason; it happens to the best of us. And no matter how you're feeling, your real friends will still love you. A good friend cares and tries to help you, but best of all, waits for you to find your own way back to feeling better. Toot and Puddle's enduring friendship will inspire and delight young readers. And Holly Hobbie's gentle watercolors and sweet, sunny story make Toot and Puddle two pigs kids will want to befriend forever.
—Jamie Levine
PreS-Gr 2-Good news for Toot and Puddle fans-the whimsical pigs are back. This time, Toot is feeling blue, and Puddle and Tulip try to cheer him up. Nothing seems to work-not making Toot's favorite five-berry cobbler, not river rafting, not even inviting everyone from Woodcock Pocket over for games and a sing-along. All Toot can do is mope, mope, mope. A summer storm comes up, scaring everyone except for Toot, who is back to his old bouncy self by morning. "Sometimes you need a big whopping thunderstorm to clear the air," says Puddle. But Toot secretly credits his pals for his fresh outlook. The message is clear-friends have to stick by one another when they're down. The cartoon illustrations are right on target in portraying the gist of the story and the characters' emotions, from the initial downcast, self-critical Toot to the carefree, puddle-skipping piglet at the end. Uplifting as a lap book when a youngster is feeling down or paired with Hiawyn Oram's Badger's Bad Mood (Scholastic, 1998), another tale of moodiness and friendship.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Hobbie (Toot & Puddle, 1997, etc.) brings back her winsome swine for a sympathetic look at the blues. Puddle is concerned about his good friend, Toot, who has a severe case of the doldrums. While recognizing that "everybody mopes sometimes," Puddle still wants to cheer up his buddy, attempting everything from five-berry cobbler to a wild boat ride down the rapids. Yet even an impromptu party with their friends fails to elicit any excitement from the melancholy pig. Only the passing of time and a raging thunderstorm finally alter Toot's dolorous mood. Hobbie deftly explores the neglected subject of sorrow, making clear to children that it's okay to be downcast for no discernible reason. Although Puddle's well-intentioned efforts are seemingly unsuccessful, what does succeed is that Puddle is perfectly in tune with his friend, convincing Toot and readers that they are not alone and that they will be loved even when they are not "up." Gentle watercolors add a light touch to Toot's malaise without compromising the compassion found in this graceful treatment of a delicate issue. (Picture book. 4-8)
