Kersplatypus (Arbordale Collection) - Hardcover

Susan K. Mitchell

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1934359076 ISBN 13: 9781934359075

Publisher: Arbordale Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

When a strange little creature appears out of nowhere after the big rains, Australian animals wonder what in the world he could possibly be! His fur, feet, tail, and duck-like bill remind each animal of something different. But with a down-under spirit, they all pitch in to help him discover where he belongs. Kersplatypus is the story of one creature's journey to find his place in the world and how he sometimes falls flat on the way there. A heart-warming story with an unmistakable Aussie flare, Kersplatypus proves that with a little determination (and some really good friends) you can pick yourself up when you fall and keep on going.

About this title

About the Author:

Susan K. Mitchell is a children's author with many hats in her collection: author, mom, wife, pre-school teacher, and Spanish teacher. Susan loves creating a silly world of words for kids. The idea of Kersplatypus quite literally came from a word she made up when her youngest daughter fell down one day. Surrounded by kids all day, every day, she has no shortage of story ideas. Susan is also the author of two other picture books: The Rainforest Grew All Around and Stone Pizza. She has also written more than fourteen non-fiction chapter books for older readers on topics ranging from entertainment to architecture to animals. Susan, her husband, and two wonderful daughters live outside of Houston with their dog and two crazy cats.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3—Engineered to fit tidily into the early elementary curriculum and complete with a "For Creative Minds" section of lesson plans and activities for a follow-up, this gentle tale of a lost baby platypus will find a comfortable niche in classrooms. Misled by the creature's mismatched characteristics, several Aussie critters try to fit him into their own specific lifestyles. For example, Brushtail Possum notes that the youngster has fur and claws and postulates that he belongs in a tree. Unfortunately, none of the suggested habitats is correct, leading to one disaster ("kersplat!") after another. Finally, a serendipitous discovery of aquatic skills results in a mother-and-child reunion. Gentle messages abound, and all is gas and gaiters at the finish, with the constantly jeering Blue-Tongued Skink getting his comeuppance. The softly appealing illustrations follow the simple action, with the animals sporting a couple of anthropomorphic touches (Old Bandicoot wears glasses and uses a cane, for example) but definitely adding eye appeal to this tale of a baby's trials and tribulations. Not as smoothly designed as the author's The Rainforest Grew all Around (Sylvan Dell, 2007), Kersplatypus will provide a springboard for discussions on friendship and bullying.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
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About this edition

• Publisher: Arbordale Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1934359076
• ISBN 13: 9781934359075
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Sherry Rogers