The Busy Beaver

Be the first to write a review

Overview

The busy but careless beaver spends his days following random impulses, rarely thinking things through and leaving in his wake a devastated forest filled with stumps, half-nibbled trees and injured, homeless animals. But then one day the beaver finds himself on the wrong side of a falling tree, which as it turns out, is just the thing to knock some sense into him. After reflecting on his behavior, he decides to make some changes. Soon, the now wiser and gentler beaver is getting down to the business of making ...
See more details below
Hardcover
$13.15
BN.com price
(Save 22%)$16.95 List Price
Other sellers (Hardcover)
  • All (21) from $6.76   
  • New (12) from $8.73   
  • Used (9) from $6.76   

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK Kids for iPad

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (NOOK Kids Read to Me)    
A digital children's book featuring embedded audio that can be turned on or off, for use with the NOOK Color reader
$5.99
BN.com price
Note: Kids' Club Eligible. See More Details.

More About This Book

Overview

The busy but careless beaver spends his days following random impulses, rarely thinking things through and leaving in his wake a devastated forest filled with stumps, half-nibbled trees and injured, homeless animals. But then one day the beaver finds himself on the wrong side of a falling tree, which as it turns out, is just the thing to knock some sense into him. After reflecting on his behavior, he decides to make some changes. Soon, the now wiser and gentler beaver is getting down to the business of making things right, much to the delighted surprise of his forest friends. This charming story from the creator of Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life gently teaches youngsters how to take care with others, as well as the world around us.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Written and illustrated in the same breezy style as Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life—whose protagonists play supporting roles in this outing—Oldland's small-format book sounds clear notes about being conscientious of one's surroundings. A careless beaver is oblivious to the consequences of his actions: he "always made a mess of the forest," leaving trees half-chewed and felling "more than he needed." His recklessness even more directly affects his fellow forest dwellers when a tree he's chomping falls on a bear's head, and he chews a moose's leg, mistaking it for a tree. But after a tree that the beaver is gnawing on lands on his own head, and he's hospitalized, he finally reflects on the damage he's caused. Following his recovery the beaver puts his energy to positive use and makes amends to the forest and his friends. Cool, natural colors dominate Oldland's digital pictures, which are highlighted by humorous images of the bug-eyed, big-toothed hero. The art's quirkiness and the text's droll delivery contribute equally to the lighthearted tone of this cautionary tale. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)
Children's Literature - Meredith Kiger
Is it possible for a beaver to be hyperactive? It seems Busy Beaver exhibits some symptoms as he thoughtlessly goes about his business without focusing on completing a task well or seeing that his carelessness is having an impact on others and his surroundings. One day, while not paying close attention, he chews through a tree that promptly falls on him. He wakes up in the hospital with some very serious injuries. While recuperating he begins to realize what a mess he has made in the forest and how he has put his forest friends at risk. His therapy in the hospital includes a commitment to himself and others to not only perform his job of building dams in a more responsible manner but to reach out to other animals that might need his help. His skeptical friends accept his apologies and admire his dedication. Colorful, cartoon-like illustrations portray friendly creatures that appear in many of the author's other stories. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D.
School Library Journal
PreS-K—Beaver's exuberance for his work leads to careless accidents for a bear, moose, and bird's nest, and eventually for himself. After recuperating from "one bent tail, two broken limbs, three cracked ribs…," Beaver realizes he has a great deal for which to atone. He exercises, reads a how-to book, and practices apologies. His return is greeted by fear until he shows his newfound consideration with gifts and kind deeds. Once accepted at home, Beaver dreams of becoming a dam-building instructor, playing in an animal band, and taking more naps. He chooses the last. The comic Photoshop illustrations have a stop-action effect and creative attention to detail. Try this title as bibliotherapy for youngsters who need to focus on impulse control.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Kirkus Reviews
Beaver might be busy, but it's his carelessness that earns him the ire of his erstwhile woodland pals.

Beaver leaves trees half-chewed. His dams leak. He's always chawing through more trees than he needs for his projects. Once he was thinking so little about his work that he dropped a tree right on Bear's head. He's even been so distracted that he chewed Moose's leg, thinking it was a tree. One day, Beaver becomes the victim of his own lackadaisical work habits when he fails to notice that the tree he's chewing on is falling in his direction. He wakes immobilized in the hospital with any number of injuries; all he can do is stare at the ceiling. His convalescence allows him to see what he's wrought with new eyes: His friends are bandaged, the forest is a mess and he's left a family of birds homeless. Beaver embarks on a rigorous rehabilitation program to see if he can make things right. Canadian artist Oldland returns with a third woodland fable cast in the same cool, earthy palette (Big Bear Hug, 2009, etc.). Fans of Bear and Moose's tales will find the same understated (and slightly quirky) humor here.

Great bibliotherapy for any inattentive busy beaver.(Picture book. 3-7)

Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781554537495
  • Publisher: Kids Can Press, Limited
  • Publication date: 8/1/2011
  • Pages: 32
  • Sales rank: 177,496
  • Age range: 3 - 7 Years
  • Product dimensions: 8.20 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 0.50 (d)

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
    If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
    Why is this product inappropriate?
    Comments (optional)