  | Little blue bridge Author: Maier, Brenda | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Loosely adapted from The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Ruby and her brothers want to cross a bridge to pick blueberries, but it is guarded by the bully Santiago--the boys manage to trick him, but clever Ruby takes a different tack, builds her own bridge, and turns Santiago into an ally and friend.
| Illustrator: | Sanchez, Sonia |
Download a Teacher's Guide| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 2.70 Points: .5 Quiz: 513470 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (03/15/21)
School Library Journal (01/01/21)
Booklist (04/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 01/01/2021 K-Gr 3—This reimagining of the Norwegian story of the three billy goats gruff replaces animals with four children who want to cross a log over a river to get to where the blueberries grow. Even though it is Ruby's idea, her three older brothers run off without her. On the bridge, they encounter Santiago, a disheveled bully of a boy who wants a snack in exchange for letting them cross the river. The mischievous brothers tell Santiago that their sister has the best snacks and scamper across the log. By the time Ruby arrives, she decides to build her own bridge. Santiago gets mad and falls into the water. He then helps Ruby build the bridge and together they cross to eat blueberries together, even though nothing was stopping him from eating them before. No context is given as to why an apparently homeless, hungry boy is in the role of the evil toll-taking troll; we only know he is alone on a log, and craving a snack. The book's final statement is that with Ruby's bridge, still guarded by Santiago, now everyone can cross the creek. It's an ineffective message, given that Ruby's brothers had no problem. Sánchez's illustrations are dynamic and colorful; she shows Ruby and her brothers each as a different shade of brown, while Santiago is more pale and pink-cheeked. The characters' poses and facial expressions are charming. Back matter shows different types of bridges and features an author's note about the history of the original story. VERDICT There are many other versions of this folktale in print, making this an unnecessary purchase; however, fans of the author's previous outing, The Little Red Fort, may want to take a look.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 04/01/2021 In this follow-up to The Little Red Fort (2018), Ruby returns for a witty retelling of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” When Ruby suggests that she and her three brothers go blueberry picking across the creek, they run into trouble from bully Santiago, who stations himself on the rickety log bridge and shouts, “I’m the boss and you can’t cross . . . unless you give me a snack!” As each brother tries to pass, he wiggles out of Santiago’s demand by saying that the next sibling has a better snack to give (not true!). Finally, only Ruby is left, with no snack to offer, so she isn't permitted to cross. Undeterred, Ruby gathers sticks, stones, vines, and blue boards and builds a bridge of her own, even letting an intrigued Santiago help. Sánchez’s colorful, mixed-media illustrations often use loose scribbles that cast an appropriately childlike energy over the story. Many positive qualities are demonstrated here, including problem solving, tenacity, self-confidence, and helpfulness, making this a worthwhile refresh of a classic with a slight Latinx twist. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
