Mechanimals. Chris Tougas. Victoria, BC: Orca, 2007. 32 pp., hardcover, $19.95. ISBN 978-1-55143-628-9. Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7. Review by Gregory Bryan. *** /4 Reviewed from f&g's.

excerpt:

There once was a farmer who had lots of animals that got swept away by a tornado.

The twister left behind a mountain of scrap metal and machine parts…and a very sad farmer.

Chris Tougas' Mechanimals tells of an old farmer who loses all of his animals to a tornado. After the winds have abated, the man is left with little more that a pile of twisted metal and garbage. The farmer, however, is not about to let his farm go to ruin. "I'll turn this mess into a masterpiece," he insists.

     The illustrations in Mechanimals are delightful. One cannot help but cheer for the adorable old farmer with his overalls and suspenders, his wide-brimmed hat and, above all else, his gummy smile. Add the bulbous nose, pencil-thin arms and bald head and our farmer hardly appears invincible. Yet, with his winning attitude, he will not be denied.

      The first replacement animal that the farmer creates from the pile of metal is a rooster-bot (a rooster that is a robot, with the body of an alarm clock). The rooster's job is to wake the farmer early. After all, he has lots of work to do to rebuild his farm. Another of the early creations is a sheep-bot with a coat of steel wool. The sheep has to help the farmer buff all the metal.

      The text is sparse and simple and, frankly, does not match the quality of the artwork. It does, however, relate an important message about pursuing one's dreams and ignoring the naysayers who might otherwise prevent people from ever trying to achieve their goals.

     For a simple, yet fun book to share with their young children, parents will do well to take a look at Mechanimals.

Recommended.

Gregory Bryan is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB. He teaches children's literature and literacy courses.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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