Title: Animal Acres
Author: Colby Becknell Hardison
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-6641-3874-2
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 24
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Sometimes the simple text of a children’s book seems easy to write, but as readers familiar with this genre understand – less is more – and it is challenging to write in a way a toddler will comprehend exactly what is written. In Animal Acres by author Colby Becknell Hardison, this “less is more” technique is demonstrated by a sparsely narrated story superimposed over full-page illustrations, offering the youngest of the single-digit year aged children a visual story with a simple theme – that of friendship.
Readers are introduced to Sammy Skunk as he awakens from a nap by a noise. Then Sammy finds a bowl of food and is happy that dinner is served. But spying from behind a tree is another strange new creature, watching Sammy eat and feeling hungry. So, Sammy invites this animal to join him for dinner, and readers are now introduced to Rocky Raccoon. Although Rocky’s stripes appear to go in the wrong direction of Sammy’s – in concentric rings rather than long stripes – the two become good friends and enjoy playing together. I couldn’t help but sing to myself the Beatles song Rocky
Raccoon when I saw the author used that particular character’s name. The book abruptly ends with a hint of more adventures yet to come.
The artwork is very captivating to readers as being the major element of conveying the story. Author Colby Becknell Hardison has a kind and thoughtful way in “talking” to the children being read this book, ideal for calming down the day’s excitement at bedtime. It pages swiftly and is a good segue to bring youngsters to the point of having a friendly animal story in their minds while being poised to drift off to dreamland.
It will be interesting to see what other adventures unfold for Sammy Skunk, and if Rocky Raccoon will be a sidekick for upcoming sequels. Animal Acres is certainly a good place for children to visit when being tucked into their beds, prior to the light being turned off.
