Friends: Snake and Lizard - Christchurch City Libraries

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Additional Details

Title

Friends: Snake and Lizard

ISBN

9781877467950

Author

by Joy Cowley
illustrated by Gavin Bishop

Publisher

Gecko Press

Publication Date

16 October 2009

Format

PDF

Reading Options

Web browser / App
Adobe Digital Editions

Number of Pages

144

Filesize

5.54 MB

Interest Age

6-10 years ^(6-10)

Language

NBS Text

General & Literary Fiction

ONIX Text

Children/juvenile

Reviews

The beguiling pair introduced in Snake and Lizard (rev. 11/08) now share a burrow and are business partners, too, 'Helper and Helper.' Different as their habits and appetites are, their relationship involves the ongoing negotiation that gives this chronicle much of its humor. They bicker constantly; still, the outcomes are fair, reasonable, and often capped with a delightful ironic twist--such as when Snake, who, after overcoming her fear of the cobweb Lizard treasures (snacks!), finds that spiders may be harmless but aren't all that tasty. Their unobtrusively philosophical debates are nifty blends of fact (they do get the mechanics of the 'life cycle' right); hearsay ('but your mother didn't know everything'); and comic misconstruction (the derelict bike they imagine represents the life cycle 'has two round things' because 'We're both right!...There are two true stories!'). More satirical is the sanctimonious celebration of a 'hero' rabbit who ended 'flatter than a shadow' when he tried to halt the  monsters  (cars) in the  River of Death -- an absolute idiot,  the friends finally agree. In the last scene, a balloon inspires a myth that honors both their traditions: 'This was a story, they both knew it, and yet the story contained so much truth...' So does this wise and funny book. Bishop's colorful sport art nicely reinforces the affectionate characterizations, and the humor.  --The Horn Book Magazine  Unlikely friends Snake and Lizard are back in this story collection from New Zealand. The pair continue their adventures together, whether that means hunting for hard-to-get food, arguing over the fate of a spider living in their doorway, or continuing to provide 'Helper' services to other animals. While some plotlines from Snake and Lizard (Kane/Miller, 2008) are brought up but not explained (such as the friends' role as 'helpers'), for the most part, this book can stand alone. It includes more stories directly linked together, such as the selections about the attempts of the friends to put together a suitable memorial for Ear Bent, a rabbit killed while daring to take on the 'monsters' that travel along the 'River of Death.' The book remains unflinchingly honest in its portrayal of the natural world. The matter-of-fact tone used to describe animals eating and being eaten, as well as descriptions of desert life, brings the setting to life for children. The thick, off-white pages and small illustrations in muted colors create a pleasant individual reading experience. With its more sophisticated subject matter, short chapters, and clever dialogue, it also make for a satisfying read-aloud.  --School Library Journal

Author Biography

Joy Cowley's books are loved by children all around the world. Many of her books have won awards--in the US, Snake and Lizard won the South Dakota Children's choice award in 2010 and Joy received the Roberta Long medal for multicultural writing in 2002. Joy lives in Wellington, New Zealand, with her husband Terry. Gavin Bishop is a leading New Zealand illustrator. He has received multiple awards and exhibited internationally.

By Joy Cowley, Illustrated by Gavin Bishop

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