What's the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? / Roger & Jennifer Sulham - Book Review

A family of hares living down by the lake in the forest of Kerfubble hears “a terrible noise / [that] made them quiver and quake.” Fearing that a monster is on the loose, they hop away as fast and as far as they can. On their way, they meet a whole host of different forest creatures who join them in fleeing the site of the noise. In turn, they meet up with Bobo the cat, two otters, a raccoon, a beaver, a fox, a deer, a bear, and a dog, who leads them all home to his master who lives on a farm. What the farmer does about it, and the lessons that are learned conclude this woodland tale.

 

In rhymed verse, What’s the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? (Inkblot Press LLC; ISBN: 978-0-9826414-9-1) is a delightful foray into the world of the imagination. The variety of animals portrayed should be enough to pique the curiosity of all children. Those who have not been exposed to many animals in the wild will benefit from learning their names. The concept that animals, some of which young children might even be afraid, such as the fox and the bear, can also be frightened by something should help them to relate more closely to animals living out in the wild. Fear is also such a commonplace emotion that they should find it comforting to realize that they are not the only ones to feel afraid. The imagination of the creatures, as they visualize an increasing number of fearsome monsters chasing them, should also help to stimulate the imagination of the young reader. That the animals all finally resort to seeking the help of a farmer also shows young kids that when they are afraid, they should seek out the help of someone who is older and wiser, who will help them with resolving any issues about which they are concerned. 

    

What’s the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? was written by Roger Sulham and illustrated by his wife, Jennifer Sulham. The bright colors and collage-type textures, which appear different for each type of animal, are appealing and exciting. Roger Sulham has the following to say about the illustrations:“The eye catching illustrations are a unique blend of hand painted paper, rice paper, felt, and patterned paper. This mixed media collage gives the artwork a textural, homemade feel. The mixed media collage style does increase both time and expense of production, yet we feel the added depth and warmth are worth the effort.” This is a great book for those who would like to introduce their children to a range of forest-dwelling critters – I just wish that such colorful books were around when I was a kid!

Purrsnikitty / Kathy Brodsky; Illustrator: Cameron Bennett - Book Review

As a cat lover, I could not help but be highly amused by the antics of the precocious and self-indulgent feline whose adventures fill the pages of this delightful, oh-so-true-to-life picture book. A rhyming story, Purrsnikitty (Helpingwords; ISBN-13: 978-0-578-05059-1: ISBN-10: 0-578-05059-5) tells of a cat who is taken home from an animal shelter by a loving family, who absolutely dote on her. But trouble comes in the form of another four-legged interloper—a dog! The reaction is as predictable as it is amusing: “Another pet! What’s wrong with them? / A dog! Why not a mouse?” The answer to that question is, of course, self-explanatory, especially in the light of the fact that, only a few pages earlier, the narrator of this feline tale has described how “Sometimes I like to play around and pounce on things I see, / I may bring home a furry gift [picture of cat sitting proudly in front of upended, reposed in death mouse neatly placed before family] for friends and family.” What happens to the two arch protagonists of this tale, I’ll leave to you to find out…

Brodsky states in her afterword to Purrsnikitty that the idea of writing a book about cats came after she had given a talk to a women’s group, to which she had just read her picture book about her pet dog, Cali, entitled Just Sniffing Around. A member of her audience approached her with the suggestion that she write a book about their feline counterparts, with Purrsnikitty being the result. Purrsnikitty is more than just the standard picture book fare, however, as it also contains discussion questions about cats, other pets and family members. Such questions should encourage the young child to think more deeply about their relations with family pets and their siblings. Consideration of others is a key note of this text, as it teaches the reader an awareness of others, who are not always like themselves.

Brodsky is a licensed psychotherapist, who brings her professional focus to her picture books, of which she has already written three others. Children love the continuing characters in Brodsky’s titles, which include a special pine tree, a red bird and a little girl with red pigtails. The continuity of characters conveys a sense of comfort to children. Purrsnikitty has been used as a creative fundraiser for animal shelters in New England, where a cat contest was held to find a cat to star in the title role. The illustrator, Cameron Bennett, has a young daughter of his own, so is an able portrayer of animals for young people. He also teaches drawing and painting at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, so is keenly aware of the educational benefits to be derived from such media.

A worthwhile investment for any parents who wish to bring up their children to love animals, Purrsnikitty is an ideal and reassuring bedtime companion. In short, it has earned both the cat and dog golden paw print of approval (Meow! Woof!).