Gumption!

Altogether a hearty delight for any young adventurer with a drop or two of gumption

PreS-Gr 2As this story opens, Uncle Nigel has just invited young Peter to accompany him on an expedition to Africa to search for the rare and wild "Zimbobo Mountain Gorilla." In matching khaki shorts and pith helmets, the two set off. When the boy expresses trepidation at each obstacle they encounter (a dense thicket, the sun-scorched plain, etc.), the man replies, "Nonsense, my boy! All it takes is a bit of gumption." Ironically, as the elder forges on with great effort, Peter is assisted by an assortment of jungle creatures, each of whom also snitches part of his uncle's gear. These moments, where "Peter tried to follow," are depicted in a sequence of four vertical panels per spread, thus conveying a lot of action in a compressed space. The last helper is none other than the rare gorilla, who carries Peter on his back while all Uncle Nigel sees is footprints. Egielski's style is similar to his work in Jonah Winter's "The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert & Sullivan" (Scholastic, 2009). The characters are foregrounded, their feet close to the branchlike borders that frame each scene. The depth of field is shallow, as if the action is playing out on a stage. The repetitive phrases, succinct text, bold watercolors, and heavy black outlines combine to make this a successful selection for group sharing. Youngsters will enjoy being in on the humor created by a clueless adult and animal antics. They'll also absorb a new wordand possibly an attitude."Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library" Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

When Peter's favorite Uncle Nigel takes him on an expedition to Africa, their first goal is to see a Zimbobo Mountain Gorilla. As Peter struggles during their five-mile hike, good-natured Uncle Nigel insists that he can do it, telling him, All it takes is a bit of gumption. The book's humor is provided by Egielski's ("The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert and Sullivan") expert watercolors that show Uncle Nigel's upbeat obliviousness while Peter gets a helping hand from some wild animals in nearly wordless four-panel scenes (a snake, elephant, and one of the rare gorillas help him negotiate the terrain, and later Peter rescues his uncle from an alligator). Throughout, Uncle Nigel is totally unaware of the danger. Broach ("When Dinosaurs Came with Everything") plays with the familiar British explorer stereotype (Uncle Nigel gets plenty of lines like Jolly good, Peter! and I say! Elephant dung!), and Egielski's twig-bordered paintings have a Teddy Roosevelt adventurousness that will keep readers giggling at how hapless some grownupsand how resourceful some childrencan be. Ages 48. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.