Can You Do This, Old Badger? (Badger Books) - Hardcover

Eve Bunting has written over two hundred books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere. She lives in Southern California.

LeUyen Pham is a New York Times bestselling illustrator who has created many books for children. She lives with her family in San Francisco, California. You can visit her online at leuyenpham.com.

PreSchool-Grade 2-While out walking with Old Badger, Little Badger asks, "Can you do this?" as he jumps, somersaults, and climbs. Old Badger admits that while there are many things he is no longer able to do, he still has much that he can teach the youngster. Through Old Badger's wisdom, they enjoy a plentiful earthworm lunch, eat honey from a hive, rake mud from their claws, and catch a fish from a stream. As they curl up together at the end of their day, Little Badger asks his elder how he knows so much. Old Badger responds that an old badger taught him and that when Little Badger is old, he will pass what he has learned on as well. Warm-toned gouache illustrations create the ideal scene for the tender interaction between two generations. Children will drink in the detail, from Old Badger's striped coveralls and spectacles to the small green frog that follows the pair on their walk. Little Badger's gleeful energy is matched by Old Badger's patient amusement. Twinkling fireflies, the rosy sky at sunset, and a cozy hole in the bank under a badger-faced moon create a warm feel. A sweet intergenerational story that captures the joy of a day well spent with one well loved.
Carolyn Stacey, Jefferson County Public Library, Golden, CO
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