From Publishers Weekly
In prose as streamlined and sturdy as the beaver itself, Rounds (Cowboys; Once We Had a Horse) describes the habitat and habits of that furry pond-dweller. Readers learn a bit about how and why dams are made, how the beaver eats bark by holding a branch in his paws and gnawing it "like a man eating corn off the cob," etc. Color illustrations, paired with black-and-white sketches, rely on playful draftsmanship for a sense of movement and flow; the color has a textured effect, as if rendered in crayons or pastels, and is bounded by heavy outlines. In an afterword, Rounds punctures some common myths about beaversAnotably that, contrary to the term "working like beavers," these critters rarely "hustle," but rather bite off just a little at a time, as it were, leaving plenty of room for naps and noshing. Amiable and low-key, this picture book serves as a useful introduction to the subject. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Straightforward, easy-to-read prose describes the animal's behavior-such as tree cutting, bark eating, and dam building-all in large, clear print and accompanied by freewheeling, flat, cartoon drawings. The figures are outlined in bold black lines and minimal, pebbly textured colors fill in the forms. Despite their simplicity, the full-page illustrations have life, character, and charm. Each text page also has a black-and-white vignette of a beaver. Although neither the animals nor the settings are intricately detailed, Rounds captures the essence of beaverness, and his writing is accurate and brisk. Two pages of beaver facts and fictions are appended. A swimmingly successful introduction to this industrious creature.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
South Dakota author Glen Rounds was born on April 4, 1906 in a sod house in the Dakota Badlands. The rugged beauty of his birthplace and childhood would shape his art throughout his life.He grew up on a ranch in Montana, studied art at the Art Institute in Kansas City, spent one summer traveling with fellow student Jackson Pollock, and another summer traveling with his teacher, Thomas Hart Benton.His first book, Ol’ Paul, the Mighty Logger, was published in 1936. His Whitey series, about a young cowboy and his cousin, was published from 1941 to 1963. His view of the Old West and his ability to tell tall tales through his writing and illustration are universally admired.Mr. Rounds received more than 25 literary awards for his writing and illustrating including the Parents’ Choice Award, six Lewis Carroll Shelf awards, the New York Times Outstanding Book Award, and the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota.Mr. Rounds died at his home in North Carolina on September 27, 2002 at the age of 96.
Glen Rounds lives in Southern Pines, North Carolina with his new wife Betty and old dog Boomer. For well over 50 years, Round's drawings of people and animals have been somewhat "unconventional", to say the least.
