Making the Moose Out of Life

by Nicholas Oldland, Nicholas Oldland (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creator of Big Bear Hug comes the comic-adventure story of a mild-mannered moose who learns how to take life by the antlers. This moose may live in the wild, but he doesn't act it — he watches from the sidelines as his friends have fun. Every now and then, he wonders if he's missing out on anything.

When the moose finally takes a chance and goes on a solo sailing trip, a raging storm carries him far from everything he knows. Will he curl up in a ball and cry, or make the most of it?

The moose's unlikely hero-journey is a lighthearted, contemporary fable that celebrates living life to the fullest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554536276
Publisher:	Kids Can Press, Limited
Publication date:	01/08/2015
Series:	Life in the Wild Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	224,378
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Nicholas Oldland earned a degree in fine arts at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada, and enjoyed success as a commercial artist and filmmaker before taking up the role of creative director at Hatley, a popular apparel company. Big Bear Hug is his first picture book.

Nicholas Oldland earned a degree in fine arts at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada, and enjoyed success as a commercial artist and filmmaker before taking up the role of creative director at Hatley, a popular apparel company. Big Bear Hug is his first picture book.

Editorial Reviews

A fable with a valuable message, delivered with understated humor.—Publishers Weekly

Charming and simply told, this moose-sized tale is sure to please.—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

The moose who had a cameo in Oldland’s Big Bear Hug (2009) makes the most of this starring role. Though he lives in the wild, the timid, wide-eyed fellow is anything but. While his friends go puddle jumping in the rain, he cowers under an umbrella, and he looks on shivering when others go skiing: “Not this moose. Too cold.” Sensing he’s “missing out on something,” the moose decides to “take life by the antlers” and sets sail in a boat that breaks apart in a storm. Stranded on a remote island, he not only summons survival skills--foraging for food, building shelter and a fire--but happily swims and surfs with a new tortoise pal. Oldland’s digital illustrations are as spare as the text, combining spot images and scenes that reveal expanses of sea and sky in lovely aqua and teal tones. His friends warmly welcome the moose after a cruise ship drops him home, where his newfound sense of adventure thrives. A fable with a valuable message, delivered with understated humor. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

From its title on, this is one fun picture book. Moose lives in the wild but doesn't seem to have a wild bone in his body. While his friends are off having a good time kite flying and puddle jumping, Moose stays home, out of the cold and wet. He suspects that he's missing something, but not until a chance encounter with a sailboat does he decides to go out and do something about it. When he is caught in a storm on the water and gets blown to an isolated island, Moose has to start behaving in a more outgoing manner. Moose learns to spear fish, gather coconuts, and build a shelter for himself; he also meets a friendly turtle named Tuesday. Tuesday and Moose do quite well, and when Moose is finally rescued by a passing cruise ship, he promises Tuesday that he will visit. Moose has another set of adventures on the ship and when he finally arrives home, stuns his friends with his new attitude. The illustrations are vivid and capture the personalities of Moose and his friends exceptionally well. This is a entertaining book appropriate for any child's bookshelf. Reviewer: Jean Boreen, Ph.D.

Children's Literature - Jean Boreen

PreS-Gr 2—Mild-mannered Moose never joins his friends when they go puddle jumping, kite flying, or skiing. He always feels like he is missing out on something, but he's not certain what. When he sets out alone in a sailboat, he drifts along until he's caught up in a raging storm. He battles the sea and is washed away to a deserted island. It's here that he learns how to fend for himself and he meets a new friend, a tortoise named Tuesday. They swim, surf, and roast coconuts together. When Moose is rescued by a cruise ship, he embraces shipboard life, taking part in all of the activities. Finally, he returns to his former friends and is now ready to join them and have some fun. Moose made a cameo appearance in Big Bear Hug (Kids Can, 2009), and he's just too adorable not to care about him. The illustrations are in muted outdoorsy colors of brown, green, and blue with a contemporary folk-art look. The story's message is clear and Moose will inspire young readers (and the adults in their lives) to explore and savor all that surrounds them. Charming and simply told, this moose-sized tale is sure to please.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

School Library Journal