  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 12/15/2016 “Deep in the forest lived a badger named Pete, / who tidied and cleaned and kept everything neat”—whether it’s detangling fox’s tail or polishing rocks, Pete is a diligent tidier. But after raking and bagging a mountain of fallen leaves, neatnik Pete decides the now-bare trees are unsightly and must go. Removing them, though, has unexpected, snowballing consequences when a rainstorm causes flooding that leaves behind abundant mud. Pete’s solution? Cement over everything—“No mud / no leaves / no mess / no trees . . . ‘This forest is practically perfect,’ said Pete.” Alas, upon discovering his home—and food—is now inaccessible, he realizes his tidying quest may have finally gone too far. Fortunately, the other animals help restore everything, bringing both a happy outcome and a new perspective for Pete. Gravett’s lilting, rhyming lines incorporate witty touches, while her enchanting, color-rich illustrations depict the forest setting, animals, and events with whimsical, scrutiny-inviting details. With a humorous narrative and charming artwork—plus a playful message of moderation and the value of environmental conservation—this is an all-around delight. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. School Library Journal - 01/01/2017 PreS-Gr 2—Pete, a badger, realizes his obsession with neatness has gone too far when he experiences its consequences. Die-cuts leading to the title page show Pete depositing stray leaves in the trash. He clips nonmatching flowers, grooms a scruffy fox, bathes the birds and brushes their beaks, vacuums debris, and scrubs the rocks. He even collects fallen autumn leaves and puts them into hundreds of garbage bags. But the "bare and scrappy" trees still displease him, so he removes them all and solves the ensuing mud problem after a rain by paving the forest floor. Painfully aware that now he can no longer access his burrow or find food, Pete enlists the help of his woodland friends to restore their forest home. The brief rhyming text invites reading aloud, but Gravett's hilarious illustrations, rendered in pencil, watercolor, and crayon, make this tale shine. Pete's cleaning materials are everywhere, even stored in trees. A lineup of birds with toothbrushes await beak scrubbing. Forest animals flee their homes amid gray-filled scenes of devastation only to return to help in the restoration process and enjoy a picnic on a carpet of new spring grass. But alert readers will see that the ants and other creatures are taking steps to keep Pete from returning to his excessive tidying. What the badger hides behind his back, though, leaves room for doubt. VERDICT Youngsters will surely grasp the story's environmental message, but it is told with so much humor and charm that they will want to return to it again and again. A read-aloud winner.—Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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