Review - Hockey in the Wild

Hockey in the Wild (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2020
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

The lovable Life in the Wild trio can't wait to get out on the ice to play hockey. Except, well, they're going to have to! It's wintertime, and the bear, the moose and the beaver can't wait for hockey season to start. They're so eager, in fact, they head out onto the ice before it's thick enough, and they all fall through. Twice. While they wait for the lake to freeze, they try to take their minds off hockey. There's competitive napping. Karaoke. Lots of comfort food. Until, at last, the day arrives when the ice is ready. But, after all that time not being active, are they ready? Part of the bestselling Life in the Wild picture book series from Nicholas Oldland, this funny romp is, at its heart, a love letter to the sport of hockey and the joys of playing in the wild outdoors. Oldland's distinctive dry humor shines here, making this a fun read-aloud. But the hilarious visual story --- including the character's facial expressions and numerous asides --- mean children, even nonreaders, will also want to spend time with the pages on their own. Children who love hockey will appreciate the friends' devotion to the game and the difficulty of waiting for conditions to be just right, but every child who has had to wait for something (that is, every child) will relate to the situation. In this, the book offers some character education lessons on patience and perseverance. Separately, there are connections to healthy outdoor activity and winter safety.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read all the other books in the Life in the Wild series. For me, this one is the weakest. The story isn't very interesting, and although there are some amusing moments, the whole thing doesn't live up to the humour and heart of the other books.

The beaver tries to go swimming one day, only to find that the lake has frozen over. So he gets his friends, the bear and the moose, to come and play hockey with him. Unfortunately, the ice isn't thick enough for that, and they all end up falling in. While they wait for the weather to change, they do lots of other activities. Finally, it gets cold enough for the ice to thicken, and the animals can enjoy their hockey game.

I guess this might appeal to hockey-obsessed kids, but that's about it. I don't know that I'd even recommend it to fans of the series if they aren't really into hockey, because there's really not much more of a story here. The animals have to wait to play. That's about it. It's not like there's a problem for them to actually solve; patience is all that's required, and while that's a decent message, it makes for a fairly boring picture book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - One Wild Christmas

One Wild Christmas (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2019
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Best friends the bear, the moose and the beaver have been so busy getting ready for Christmas, they have forgotten the most important decoration of all - the Christmas tree! Rushing through the snowy forest, they reject one tree after another. And then they spot it. A pine tree that is just the right size, with soft needles and a wonderful scent - it's perfect! But just as the beaver is about to chop it down, the bear stops him. He can't allow this tree to be harmed, it is simply too beautiful! But the moose and the beaver disagree. Is there a way they can have a perfect Christmas - without chopping down the perfect tree?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read all five of the other books in this series, so when I saw that there was a Christmas title, I knew I had to give it a try. It's filled with humour and heart, just like the other books, but this one has a decidedly wintry flavour.

The bear, the moose, and the beaver are preparing for Christmas at their cabin in the woods. They cook, wrap presents, hang stockings, and decorate... but when it comes time to trim the tree, they realize they don't have one! So they grab their sled and go off in search of the perfect tree. They eventually find it, but to the bear's horror, his friends want to chop it down! Now, if you've read Big Bear Hug, you'll know that the bear is all about conserving his precious forest, so he does everything he can to stop the beaver and the moose from cutting down that tree. It seems that they can't have a Christmas tree after all. Or... can they?

The message about friendship and compromise is sweet, and how the three friends get there is kind of funny. As usual, the illustrations are deceptively simple yet effective. It's amazing how much emotion Oldland manages to convey even though his characters don't really have changing facial expressions.

Fans of the Life in the Wild series will probably want to add this book to their collection, but it will probably appeal to those looking for solid Christmas picture books as well. Overall, it's a strong holiday picture book with a nice message... which isn't always the easiest thing to find.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - Up the Creek

Up the Creek (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2013
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

The bear, the moose and the beaver are the best of friends, even though they often disagree. On a canoe trip, the trio’s squabbling leads them into rough waters. Can they agree on a plan before it’s too late?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I finally got my hands on the remaining book in this series! It's actually one of the stronger ones, I think, because it's so relatable, especially to people with siblings. The animals' canoeing trip--and resulting squabbling--reminded me of outdoor outings my family used to take. They'd inevitably end up with me and my sister at each other's throats. (In fact, the last time we took out the canoes, we were relegated to separate ones because our parents knew we'd just fight if we were in the same boat together!)

In this book, Bear, Moose, and Beaver decide to go canoeing. But they can't agree on anything. They all want to steer, so they all try to sit in the back (with predictable results). Once they bail out all the water and get going again, they all want to paddle on the left... which means they go in circles. Eventually, they get things straightened out, only to hit a patch of rapids. Then they're really up the creek!

This is a great addition to the Life in the Wild series, and probably one of my favourites about these funny animals. I do wish that they had worn life jackets while canoeing (which wouldn't be that weird, considering Moose wore one in Making the Moose Out of Life when he went sailing). Other than that, though, this is a pretty entertaining read.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - Walk on the Wild Side

Walk on the Wild Side (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2015
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

One day, a bear, a moose and a beaver go for a walk in the mountains. To make the hike more exciting, they decide to race to the top. But soon the friends fall into deep trouble. Who will give up their chance for glory to save the day?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This isn't my favourite book in the series. A bear, a moose, and a beaver walk into a bar decide to climb a mountain. To make it more interesting, they turn it into a race. But on the way up, Moose dodges a falling boulder and ends up dangling from a tree on the side of a cliff. When Bear tries to help, he falls and Moose catches him. Then they're both stuck. Luckily, Beaver manages to rescue them. They then continue more slowly and the journey becomes a different kind of interesting.

There's not as much of a message or moral as there is in the other books (except maybe "stop and smell the roses"). I mean, I'm glad Moose and Bear didn't plummet to their deaths, but the story wasn't all that interesting.

Overall, this is probably the weakest book in the series for me so far (I think there's one other title that I've yet to read). It's okay as an addition to the complete collection, but I enjoyed the other titles more.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - The Busy Beaver

The Busy Beaver (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2011
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A clueless beaver discovers the impact his actions have on others.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is either an environmental story... or an allegory about an addict hitting rock bottom and having to make amends.

Beaver is busy. Too busy. He's so busy chewing down trees that he's not paying attention to the effect his chomping is having on the forest. He bonks Bear on the head with a falling tree. He displaces a family of birds. He chews on Moose's leg by mistake. He leaves the forest in ruins. It isn't until his carelessness results in his own massive bodily trauma that he stops to think about what he's been doing wrong. When he's recovered enough, he sets out to make things right... and to apologize for all the hurt he's caused.

There are a lot of people in the world who could learn from Beaver's example. The message is a good one, and it's reinforced by the fact that when Beaver tries to make things better for others, he makes things better for himself, too.

This is another fun title in the Life in the Wild series with a nice message and amusing pictures.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - Making the Moose Out of Life

Making the Moose Out of Life (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2009
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

This moose may live in the wild, but he doesn't act it -- he watches from the sidelines as his friends have fun. From the creator of Big Bear Hug comes a lighthearted, contemporary fable about a mild-mannered moose who learns to live life to the fullest.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a silly story that has lots of unanswered questions... but a pretty good theme.

Moose always stays on the sidelines while his friends play. He never wants to join in and, as a result, starts to feel like he's missing out on life. So he takes a sailboat that just happens to be floating nearby, puts on his life jacket, and goes for a sail... only to get blown way off course by a storm. He ends up on a deserted island. While he could've curled up and cried, he decides to make the most of it. He learns survival skills and makes a tortoise friend (named Tuesday). Eventually, he's rescued by a cruise ship and returns home to his friends with a newfound appreciation for all that life has to offer.

I like the message about rolling with the punches. Moose learns to make the best of whatever situation he's in. How that's shown, however, is a little unrealistic. Unlike in Big Bear Hug, where the bear was still pretty much a bear, Moose is very anthropomorphized... to the point where he's not even really recognizable as a moose. He spears fish (I don't think moose even eat fish... do they?) and builds fires while he's on the island, and then takes up shuffleboard and eats hamburgers while on the cruise. I think I would've preferred to see Moose do things in a more moose-like way.

Other than that, though, I think the message is a strong one. Moose learns that he needs to take life by the antlers to be fulfilled. He can't just sit around and wait for life to happen to him (after all, he tried that, and he missed out on a lot of fun with his friends).

But I'm still trying to figure out how he ended up on an island in the Caribbean...

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Big Bear Hug

Big Bear Hug (Life in the Wild)
by Nicholas Oldland
Date: 2006
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

An environmental fable that illustrates the awesome power of a hug.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Our library has a bunch of e-books from this series, so I thought I'd give one a try. This is actually a really cute story about a bear who loves to hug. But when he encounters a human who wants to chop down one of his beloved trees, suddenly he doesn't feel much like hugging anymore.

The story is simple and kind of goofy, with the bear going around hugging all sorts of critters to show his love. His favourite things to hug, though, are trees. One day, he sees a human enter the woods. He follows the man until he comes to one of the biggest trees in the forest. The man stares at the tree for so long that the bear think he must love trees, too. But then, to the bear's horror, the man takes out an axe and starts chopping. Let's just say, don't cross an environmentalist bear.

Actually, the story then takes an unexpected turn, and the bear demonstrates some pretty admirable behaviour (perhaps to show how the wisdom of nature can often be superior to our own selfish, short-sighted thinking). The resolution is nonsensical, but so is the idea of a bear going around hugging his traditional foodstuffs.

I think I need to try some of the other books in this series. If they're as cute as this one, then I'll probably enjoy them, too.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5