Walk on the Wild Side - Nicholas Oldland

Please, nobody judge this blog post. First of al, I am beyond sleep deprived, and secondly, I am writing this review on an airplane at 35,000 feet. Needless to say, I wish I was in a better frame of mind, but I am rapidly falling behind on my reviews, so let us move on and talk about Nicholas Oldland's Walk on the Wild Side!

One day, a bear, a moose and a beaver go for a walk in the mountains. To make the hike more exciting, they decide to race to the top. But soon the friends fall into deep trouble. Who will give up their chance for glory to save the day?

I think one can get a pretty good feel of the impending adventure from the cover page. Illustrated in a naive childish form, Oldland captures readers immediately in child-like mindset. One of the really intriguing bits about this book, is the fact that there are no outlines on the characters or landscape, and yet the solid colours keep the beaver, bear, and moose from bleeding into the background. It's quite a fun style, actually.

The story itself covers topics such as competitive behaviour, teamwork, goals, and fascination with a rather silly little red bird. This title holds wonderful child appeal, and the lessons are not didactic, which makes it an attractive title for adults as well, especially those who don't want to "lesson" their children all the time.

But don't let me be the only word on the subject. Just listen to the comments from others who have read this book:
  • "ADORABLE!"
  • "Wow!"
  • "Full of giggles..."
  • "Super cute..."
  • "Good vocabulary!"
If you have a list of picturebooks for your March reading list, make sure this is one of them! I promise you won't be sorry!

Highly Recommended

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