What happens when a young beaver ignores warnings that his dam is too big? As you can imagine, trouble! All the other inhabitants along the river were getting along perfectly until Beaver arrived. Despite Frog's attempts to rein in Beaver's "nearly as tall as the mountains" construction. There are grumbles and hard feelings, and a disaster, but Beaver does learn his lesson in the end. And a much more moderate Beaver helps everyone rebuild their homes as well as his dam, "not too big though."
The illustrations have Simon James iconic style and show the idyllic scene before Beaver's arrival, then the gradually worsening problem, and the major catastrophe with crisply penned details over the watercolor paintings. My favorites are all the images of Frog. His tiny body has long, thin legs and his expressive face has enormous eyes. Watching his eyes is an easy way for readers to gauge his reactions to Beaver's antics. The best part is the scene of Frog jumping up and down on Beaver's back when he has swallowed too much water. I wonder if Frog is Red Cross certified as a lifeguard?
A fun story about the truth that bigger is not always better, and that our actions affect others.
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