Reviews

Moose and Magpie


Senor Parrot's Perch-October 2010

Moose and Magpie, by Bettina Restrepo and illustrated by Sherry Rogers is an interesting and entertaining children’s book designed to teach young children about Moose. Moose are not you’re usual topic for a children’s book. I also found it a bit odd in its approach, but my younger daughter loved it, laughing all the way through. Since she’s the better critic, I’m going with her assessment.

Magpie loves a good, funny riddle, and good natured Moose enjoys them, too. The two friends pass through the seasons as Moose grows from a calf to adulthood, and along the way kids learn interesting facts about moose (meese?-naw!). Magpie’s riddles always teach Moose and engaged readers a bit more about himself.

Moose and Magpie is published by Arbordale, specialists in publishing math and science books aimed primarily at preschool and young readers. Here is a preview of Moose and Magpie from the Arbordale website. When you’re there, check out their other books, too. They have previews for most, if not all of them. Moose and Magpie is also winner of the ’10 Mom’s Choice Silver Recipient: Animal Kingdom.
- Dan Sharp

Old Schoolhouse Magazine-November 2011

My family and I live in the desert, and we know there's more to the desert than rocks and dirt! Sherry Neidigh does a superb job bringing desert animals and plants to life with detailed, colorful illustrations. In this beautiful 32-page paperback, bats pollinate green cactuses with large, white flowers; orange and white fennec foxes hunt at night; a pink and black Gila monster hisses near quail eggs; and javelinas eat hot pink cactus fruit--just to name a few topics.

Parents and teachers will love the educational extras provided at the end. Activities include "The Desert Habitat," "Desert Fun Facts," "Map of the Deserts of the World," and "Match the Desert Adaptations." The website provides a teacher's guide that includes sheet music to the songs, comprehension questions, and more. A Deep in the Desert quiz and related links can also be found on the website by clicking the cover of the book.

My first-grade daughter and I had fun singing and learning together about the desert. There were only a couple of tunes with which I wasn't familiar, but I just read those songs aloud. My daughter does have some trouble trying to sing the unfamiliar lyrics on her own, so I encourage her to read those lyrics instead.

For preschool and elementary children, this book would make a great addition to any desert study. Singing songs makes discovering the desert fun and interesting, and $8.95 is a fair price for getting more than just a picture book!

Macaroni Kid - November 2011

In this delightful story,Young Moose is lucky to find a friend and guide in the wisecracking Magpie. Magpie tells Moose jokes that children will find amusing. My son smiled and laughed out loud and the vivid illustrations by Sherry Rogers bring these characters to life.

Katie's Literature Lounge - Oct 4, 2009

This book is a great book to have in the classroom! It's funny (hence, the jokes told throughout) and it's educational! Children will be learning about the life and migration of the moose. There are informational tidbits found on each page that make a cute story very educational! From my experience, children seem to absorb information like this quicker than the best paper towels absorb water... that's what makes this book so special! Activities to Use in Collaboration with this book:

Science - Life Cycle - Page 10 and 11 of the Teaching Activities booklet provided by Arbordale is a sequencing activity about the life cycle of the moose.

Math - Measuring - Page 26 of the Teaching Activities booklet provided by Arbordale is Measuring activity focusing on comparing and contrasting the size of animals.

The National Writing for Children Center - August 2009

Moose and Magpie is one of the new books in the Arbordale Fall 2009 line-up, and young readers will be double-served by this witty anthropomorphic tale by Bettina Restrepo as they learn fascinating facts about moose while also having their funny bones tickled. Mrs. Restrepo uses a clever play on words to create jokes and riddles within the text that are sure to garner a few giggles throughout the book. Educational material with a humorous twist—definitely a win-win choice for this age group!

Readers will discover all sorts of interesting information as they follow Moose, Magpie, and several of their friends on their adventures and activities through the seasons of one year and find out what changes happen during that time. For example:

How do moose antlers grow and why do they fall off? Then what happens to the antlers?
What is a girl moose called? A boy?
What is a moose’s bell?
What does a moose eat?
How is a moose’s hair different from the hair of other animals?
Does a moose migrate?
Is a moose a good swimmer?
How does a moose get a mate?

Of course, since Magpie is Moose’s joke-telling sidekick, we also learn more about magpies as well—and why the two animals get along so well. Do you know the reason? It’s a good one!

Sherry Rogers has done an outstanding job on the illustrations as well, and children will enjoy perusing all the hilarious and whimsical pictures on the full color two-page spreads. The illustrations of the “literally interpreted” antics of the raccoon, beaver, and skunk are wonderful!

I also like how the publisher has added in ‘fact boxes’ on certain pages to highlight pertinent facts throughout the story. And as always, the ‘For Creative Minds’ section at the back of the book is excellent, as well as helpful for parents and teachers. Included are: Is It For Real: Moose and Birds, What Do Moose Eat?, Moose Antlers, Moose Life Cycle, Match The Moose Body Part to Its Adaptation, and Moose Fun Facts. You can also find more activities and free online resources and support for Magpie and Moose, as well as other titles, at arbordalepublishing.com.

A Patchwork of Books - Sept. 12, 2009

From one of my favorite publishing companies, Arbordale, we have Moose and Magpie, written by Bettina Restrepo and illustrated by Sherry Rogers. I love the unique blend of fact and fiction that they effortlessly put out in each book they publish.

In this one, we have Moose and Magpie, two friends that love to be silly. Magpie is always telling Moose jokes, which though silly, elicit a fact about either moose or magpies at the bottom of the page. Your kiddos aren't only getting a cute story about the friendship between two species, but they're getting to learn on every single page.

The last few pages of the book include different activities to help young ones continue learning about the moose and the magpie, as well as more fun facts, and a "Moose Life Cycle" page. Another hit for Arbordale!

The Baytown Sun – Sept 17, 2009

When a moose is growing his antlers, his head prickles. To stop the itch, Moose’s scratching makes the trees shake. Magpie helps distract Moose from his itching antlers by telling jokes: “Why doesn’t the tooth fairy visit a moose? Moose doesn’t have a pillow to leave his tooth under.” Another joke: “Why doesn’t a moose change his long underwear in the winter? Because it’s attached to his skin.” In between jokes, Magpie collects every shiny object for her nest.

Moose not only has to grow antlers, he has to eat enough leaves to fill four stomachs, and he wonders what direction should he go to migrate. Beaver, Frog, and Skunk are not part of the text, but Sherry Rogers includes them. One reads history books, another uses hair mousse, and she doesn’t exclude the animal who needs Maximum Strength Deodorant. Bettina finds it difficult to photograph moose in their natural environment. Mama Moose keeps chasing her away.

Bettina Restrepo creates a clever laugh and learn book to captivate the picture book crowd. Teachers appreciate the Arbordale approach to learning, a story that is a fun read immersed in factual information, easy to learn in a Q/A format. Arbordale sets up story time into cross-curricular learning with the last four pages – For Creative Minds – that feature fun facts, vocabulary, crafts and educational activities.
- JoAn Martin

A Frugal Friend - Sept. 4, 2009

This beautifully illustrated book focuses on 2 good friends, the moose and the magpie (a bird). At an early age, Moose is introduced to the wisecracking Magpie who always keeps Moose on his toes with jokes. I really tried to guess the riddle, but I knew very little about moose.....I didn't do so well. Magpie not only answered the jokes so that Moose learns about himself, but so that the reader can learn all about moose too. I had no idea that moose were herbivores, swim up to 5 miles during migration, or that magpies can imitate human voices. Educational Section: While each page has a squared-off box containing a fact about moose, once again the Arbordale book had a section at the end of the book called "For Creative Minds" that is purely educational. Discussions of moose antlers, moose diets, and even moose breeding are contained there....this is not for the toddler (although she LOVES the pictures of the animals), but I think more for an older child who is learning about science and nature. Online Section: There's a corresponding craft for the book too. This time it's a Coloring page. As you can tell, Arbordale Publishing is dedicated to exciting kids with science, math and nature themed books, while providing parents and teachers extra tools in the books and online with resources like Children's Activities and Teacher's Activities. For example, online you can find As you can tell, Arbordale Publishing is dedicated to exciting kids with science, math and nature themed books, while providing parents and teachers extra tools in the books and online with resources like Children's Activities and Teacher's Activities. For example, online you can find a 34 page curriculum for a teacher to go with the book, Count Down to Fall. They are an amazing resource for parents and teachers and I hope you'll check them out." curriculum for a teacher to go with the book. They are an amazing resource for parents and teachers and I hope you'll check them out.

In the Pages - July 22, 2009

It is not often that you can find a fun book to teach you about the finer points of being a moose - this book is excellent for that! Moose and Magpie learn from each other and keep life fun. You will enjoy this one and so will your kids.

Feathered Quill Book Reviews - July 2009

Moose has a problem – his head is itchy! You see, Moose is young and he has little nubs on his head that will soon grow into beautiful antlers. But when antlers grow, they are itchy, itchy, itchy. Moose scratches his head on a tree for relief and that’s when he meets the joke telling Magpie the bird. Magpie tells Moose a joke and soon the two are best friends.

Moose and Magpie follows a year-long adventure through the life cycle of a young bull moose. The journey starts in the spring with Moose’s antlers coming in, through the summer where his appetite has grown as large as his antlers, into the fall where Moose, Magpie and several other animal friends play under the falling autumn leaves. It is in the fall that moose migrate so Magpie helps Moose find his way to a small island where the other moose have met. After a brief island visit, Moose returns to his forest friends where the snow soon falls as do his antlers.

One of the fall offerings from Arbordale Publishing, Moose and Magpie is an absolutely delightful adventure story that will educate as it entertains. The bright, lively illustrations add much to the enjoyment. Along with the charming story, each page has a small block of text with information on moose such as “Some moose swim up to five miles during migration.” It is an excellent way to inform without sounding didactic. In addition, there are four pages in the back of the book with moose ‘fun facts’ as well as free online resources at the publisher’s website. Moose and Magpie is an excellent resource for the homeschooling parent as well as anybody who wants to see their child enjoy a story and learn at the same time.

Quill says: After children read Moose and Magpie, they will be spouting off facts about moose all day long, with a smile on their faces!

The Friendly Book Nook - July 23, 2009

What a fun book! The characters joke with each other and interesting facts are placed in boxes on the same page to turn information from that joke into a fact. So is it fiction or non-fiction? This book contains both! The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and support the text very well. Accelerated Reader has this book labeled at a third grade reading level. I think younger readers could very easily read and enjoy this book. Another winning book published by Arbordale. I recommend it!

Stories for Children Magazine - July 2009

If you were a full-grown moose at the age of one, what would you do when your antlers start coming in and begin to itch like crazy? Moose, who lives where the willow trees touch the ground and the lily pads float on the water, has just become an adult, and his head prickles so much that he has to find a tree and rub his head against it with all his might. But he disturbs his friend Magpie who starts to tell him jokes to ease his mind. Follow Moose and his friends as spring becomes summer which turns into fall which finally ushers in winter. What will happen to Moose's antlers?

Kids will love the jokes that Magpie tells Moose while at the same time they will learn about an amazing and majestic animal of our natural world. There are sidebar-like tidbits of interesting information sprinkled throughout Bettina Restrepo's text, and at the end is Arbordale's usual "For Creative Minds" section, with more information about the moose's eating habits, antlers, and life cycle, and a "Match the Moose Body Part to its Adaptation" activity. There are also other "Teaching Activities" and "Related Websites" at Arbordale's website. And Sherry Rogers's colorful illustrations are very attractive.

Simply Science blog - July 6, 2009

Moose’s head itches and Magpie provides answers and puns galore about moose in this life cycle story of two friends and the changes Moose experiences through a year. Filled with jokes and puns, the story entertains while sidebars provide accurate scientific facts about moose, magpies, and the moose life cycle. Two spreads at the back provide additional facts and explain the real and made up parts of the story. A “For Creative Minds” section, a feature of Arbordale books, allows the reader to put their newly gained knowledge to use.

Laura's Reviews - Sept 16, 2009

I was very excited to win Moose and Magpie from Tiff Talks Books. My 3-year old son Kile loves to “read” with me. He loved when it came in the mail and has spent a lot of time looking through it when I am not reading it to him. Moose and Magpie is the story of the title characters, who are best friends. Magpie loves to tell jokes, but Moose lacks the self-confidence needed to tell his own jokes. Magpie accompanies Moose on his migration. Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book. Kile and I think the illustrations are fantastic. Kile really liked the character of Moose. He also really liked learning the fun facts about him. The only negative I have for the book is that the story is rather jumpy. In other words, the story doesn’t seem to flow at times. I thought I had skipped a page, but I really hadn’t. Kile didn’t seem to notice though and really liked it. Overall it’s a cute book, and a great way to learn about Moose, Magpie, and other animals of the northwoods.

Belvoire Eagle, VA - July 2009

I think this is a terrific book for little children. That is because the book can teach you how to learn confidence. Also it helps you to learn how to believe in yourself. I would recommend this book to second-graders. The book is about the two main characters - a moose named Moose and a bird named Magpie, who made many comical jokes and many people chuckled. But, when Moose made a comical joke, no one laughed. Magpie taught Moose to learn confidence. I also loved the illustrations [which] were the best part of a story because it gives more character and helps me understand the story.
- Kierra Henderson

Este libro tiene dos personajes. Uno se llama El Alce y el otro se llama La Urraca. Este libro se trata de un Alce que le estaban creciendo sus cuernos y su cabeza sentia mucha comezon. Un dia encontro un arbol y empezo a rascarse contra el con toda su fuerza y asi conocio a La Urraca. La Urraca trata de ayudal al Alce a tener confianza. Yo Pienzo que este libro es bueno y las ilustraciones son bellas. Yo recomiendo este libro para los nos que tienen cinco a seis aos.

(Translation) This book has two characters, the Moose and the Magpie. This book talks about a magpie and a moose, which has horns that are growing and makes his head itch a lot. One day the moose found a tree and began to scratch very hard against it, and that is how he met the magpie. The magpie tries to make the moose feel good. I think this is a good book and the illustrations are beautiful. I recommend this book for children 5 and 6 years old.
- Justin Jimenez-Rivera

This book is about a moose who earns his confidence to tell jokes because nobody thinks he’s funny and he wants to prove them wrong. The characters they talk about most is a moose named Moose and a bird named Magpie. My favorite part about this book is the illustrations because they are so pretty and tell a lot about the story.
- Dalynn Slack

A short summary: This book is about a moose who meets a magpie who is always telling hilarious jokes and riddles. Then, in early fall, Magpie sings a song about a moose wandering in the mountains. Moose decides he will go to the mountains, also. Magpie follows him and there are a few dangers on the way: they come close to hunters and then get lost! Moose saw two bulls (male moose) fighting and thought “I wouldn’t want to fight them.“ He finally decided to turn around and come home after his little journey. Then Magpie tells a joke and Moose finally tells a funny response! Everyone laughs and begs for more jokes!

Characters: Moose, Magpie, Hunters

My opinion: This book is a funny one and will be good for all ages to read! It includes various facts about moose and magpies. Parents, if you are reading this you can find it online, just go to arbordalepublishing.com and search Moose and Magpie. I’m sure your children will love it!

Illustrations: The illustrations are absolutely beautiful; they are filled with much color and detail!!
- CJ Wallington

What it is about: The book is about Moose meeting Magpie. Magpie tells Moose jokes and riddles. But when Moose would try to tell a joke no one would laugh or think it was funny.

Characters: Moose and Magpie

My opinion: I thought it was a very funny book and very interesting how Moose would try to learn how to tell good jokes and riddles. I recommend this book for all ages!

Why I would recommend this book: It’s fun and enjoyable for all ages. I would even recommend it for a 6-year-old.

What I thought of the illustrations: They were drawn beautifully with a lot of color and obvious artistic skill.
- Samantha Wallington

Reader Views - August 2009

Cayden: “I liked the jokes that Magpie told. I thought they were pretty funny! I learned a lot of things about moose - like I learned that when their antlers fall off that deer lick them for vitamins. The games at the end were fun too!”

Parent’s comments: “Moose and Magpie” by Bettina Restrepo is a fun and educational book. Each page tells Moose and Magpie’s story but in smaller print at the bottom there is a fact presented relating to the events taking place. Both my child and I learned many interesting facts about moose. The “For Creative Minds” section at the end of the book provides more related educational opportunities and also invites the reader to visit their website for more information. We visited the website and there are tons of great links and wonderful teaching activities. We could spend hours there!
- Cayden Aures (age 5) and Mom

Laura Williams' Musing - August 13, 2009

What a fun little book about a moose and a magpie this book is! You’ll find a cute little story about a moose getting his antlers and a magpie telling the moose jokes to keep his mind off the itching that the antlers are causing while trying to come in. Along the way though, your child will learn fun little moose facts as nearly every page has a little fact block with more information.The back of the book contains  more fun facts, a matching game, and more.I hope you children will enjoy this book as much as mine have!