A raccoon and his other wildlife friends must leave Shady Glade because the bulldozers are coming. They set off to find another Shady Glade.

good - ML

Unfortunately Shady Glade is being destroyed and all the animals must find a new home. Raccoon has a plan... they should take the train to find a new home. This story teaches children that we must protect our environment for ourselves and wildlife that share it as well. I was sad to learn the animals were losing their homes; HoweverI likde how the author had the animals refer to the excavation equipment as 'the rumblers',' just the way someone unfamiliar with equipment might. Illustrations help children visualize the action and create authentic characterization of the animals. This is a more text-heavy picture book with at least one paragraph on each page that would be more appropriate for readers who are transitioning to reading alone, specifically middle primary school. This book, however, could also be read aloud. ( )

My grandson loves this story. And 25 years ago, my 3 children loved this story. I love this story.

Bill Peet started working for Disney in 1937, so by 1966 when this book was published, he was a complete master at personifying animals. This may be his greatest, of many good books. It is vintage Bill Peet: endearingly rendered animals, several trains (a Bill Peet specialty), ugly industrialization and polluted waterways (another recurring Bill Peet theme), and a satisfying story. It’s so touching — courageous and sad — to see the rabbit try to bite the tire of a giant earth-moving tractor. It’s scary and cozy — both at the same time — to see animals curled up, sleeping on the roof of a train as it barrels through the countryside at night. It’s a happy ending to see the animals find a new home — and yet it makes you queasy, the more you think about it. And at least some kids will think about it. If those animals move to new territory, they will displace the animals who already live there. Wilderness is finite. And the bulldozers keep coming. The story doesn’t end with a permanent solution, only a temporary fix. Which is exactly right. It’s a story that keeps gnawing at you, even when it’s over. Genius. ( )

Shady Glade is a small spot of nature threatened by urban development, and the few animals that live there have to find a new home. This is one of the best children's fiction books I've read about conservation; it doesn't sugar-coat but it has a positive resolution so there's hope. Bill Peet's illustrations are Disney-esque and with good reason, since he worked on classic animated movies like 101 Dalmatians. The animals are anthropomorphized, so if you or your children aren't into animals with human qualities, this book won't be for you. For everyone else, give it a try! ( )