Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads makes me giggle. When hope rides into Dry Gulch in the form of a kid on a tortoise, I find it humorous when the narrator tells the reader to "give him a minute." When the pot-bellied mayor asks the kid his business ("I'm your new sheriff"), I laugh at both his lack of qualifications and his key skill ("I know a really lot about dinosaurs"). Whenever the Toad brothers strike, the sheriff is certain they were not to blame! What a surprise Bob Shea incorporates into the story's resolution...and how perfectly Lane Smith's artwork complements the tone and text. The last page makes me giggle again. Every time I read it. Now I need to share it to some younger readers - and hope they think it is as funny as I do.
The only hesitation about it is the skin color of Kid Sheriff (white) and the Toads (brown). My middle son, ever cognizant of justice and fairness, pointed out that contrast immediately.
Love your photo! I've brought home a small collection of white stones from Schoolhouse Beach on Washington Island, Door County off and on for years. While dusting my kitchen window sill today, I made a small cairn of some of them. Love it and yours.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't think too many libraries in Fergerson, MO would have an 'extended shelf life' of this tale. Your son was quite quick on the pick-up. Interesting how daily events can turn the tide on movies, stories, books etc. Always enjoy your reviews.
ReplyDelete