Groundhog's Runaway Shadow
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Where does the groundhog's shadow go?
Phil and his shadow do everything together. But where Phil is steady, predictable, and a little boring, Shadow is adventurous, freewheeling—even a bit rude. So they don't get along so well anymore. Fed up, the two have a falling-out, and Shadow runs off to see the world.
Being friends isn't always easy. True friends, however, always find their way back to each other. If the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow come February 2nd, young readers will have an idea of where it might be, based on this heartwarming laugh-out-loud story accompanied by David Biedrzycki’s hilarious illustrations.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Punxsutawney resident Phil, a furry brown groundhog, and his shadow have been constant companions but are growing apart, both in terms of personal proclivities ("Phil loved scary movies. Shadow, not so much") and all-around outlook ("Phil liked to be on time. Shadow liked to stop and smell the roses"). Biedrzycki (Breaking News: Bears to the Rescue) maximizes the differences between Phil and Shadow by giving the groundhog and his fellow animals an almost three-dimensional roundness, setting them in a carefully detailed and brightly colored world. Shadow, meanwhile, is rendered in flat, fuzzy-edged, gray-blue silhouettes, though that doesn't stop him from flirting with a rabbit on the subway or letting loose a giant burp while Phil quietly eats dinner. After matters come to a head, Shadow decamps to explore the world, eventually leading a remorseful Phil to seek out his absent companion. The somewhat drawn-out story can seem more like a platform for Biedrzycki's comic vignettes of Shadow's outsize behavior, but the Groundhog Day references are kept to a minimum, making this a story that could be enjoyed any time of year. Ages 4 8.
