Epossumondas Saves the Day

Be the first to write a review

All Available Formats + Editions

——

$9.76

NOOK Book

——

$9.76

Epossumondas Saves the Day (eBook) Pub. Date: 11/1/2006 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
$1.99

$12.89

Hardcover

$1.99

$12.89

Epossumondas Saves the Day Pub. Date: 11/1/2006 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
$14.99

——

Audiobook

$14.99

——

Epossumondas Saves the Day (CD) Pub. Date: 7/13/2007 Publisher: Recorded Books, LLC

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

Advertising

Overview

It’s Epossumondas's birthday, so Mama's whipping up his favorite biscuits. But she's plumb out of sody sallyraytus! (That's baking soda to all you Yankees.) Everybody knows you can’t make big, fluffy biscuits without sody. One by one, Baby Gator, Auntie, and Mama scoot to the store to fetch some. But when no one comes back, it’s up to Epossumondas to run out and see what’s what—until he runs smack into a great, huge, ugly Louisiana snapping turtle!

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature

Chubby, adorable Epossumondas returns in his third delightful folktale adventure. When he and his mama are preparing for his birthday party, Mama finds herself all out of the sody sallyraytus she needs to make the biscuits for the strawberry shortcake dessert. Since Baby Gator has arrived early, Mama asks him to fetch some from the store. Singing "Sody! Sody! Sody sallyraytus!" Baby Gator is returning from the store when he is confronted by a "GREAT, HUGE, UGLY LOUISIANA SNAPPING TURTLE," who swallows him and the sody up. The same unfortunate thing happens when Auntie goes to find him, and to impatient Mama herself. Epossumondas decides it is time for him to discover what has happened. On his way back from the store, when he encounters the turtle, he not only saves himself but Mama, Auntie, and Baby Gator, with the magic of sody sallyraytus. Stevens eagerly visualizes these engaging characters in mixed media. At first Mama and the birthday boy are already celebrating; then Mama is stirring up the mixing bowl even before the text begins. The visual story leads us through the adventure along with the text, which includes repetitions for read-aloud fun. The endpapers even provide a romantically naturalistic setting for the more detailed actions inside. That turtle is quite a frightening contrast to the other appealing cast members. A note adds information on both "sody" and on the real setting of the tale.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 5-The lovable diapered possum, Mama's "sweet little patootie," stars in another charming book, this time a variation of the Southern folktale "Sody Sallyraytus." On Epossumondas's birthday, Mama's plans to make his favorite light fluffy biscuits come to a halt when she discovers that she is out of sody sallyraytus. She asks one after another of the guests to "scoot over to the store" to buy some, and, unfortunately, they meet up with a hungry "GREAT, HUGE, UGLY LOUISIANA SNAPPING TURTLE!" It's up to Epossumondas to rescue them. Salley's text is alive with the colorful expressions of the South ("Well, I swaney" and "Honey, you're gooder 'n' grits"), which make the story a delight to read aloud. Stevens's hilarious mixed-media illustrations are a perfect match for the narrative. The visual details create lovable characters as well as a truly frightening villain. Mama's purple glasses and shoes, Epossumondas's diaper and the inexplicable safety pin hanging on his tale, and the Louisiana setting are all unforgettable. Children will love listening to the tale and will laugh out loud at the verbal expressions and the artwork. This one belongs on the shelves of every library, but it won't stay there long.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

This high-spirited Louisiana version of the traditional folktale, "Sody Sallyraytus," is great fun to read aloud. It's Epossumondas's birthday, and Mama needs baking soda, or "sody sallyraytus," to make the sweet biscuits for strawberry shortcake, his favorite dessert. One by one, Baby Gator, Auntie, Mama and finally Epossumondas himself, cross the creek to the grocery store, chanting "Sody! Sody! Sody sallyraytus!" But on the way home, each of them falls prey to a "GREAT, HUGE, UGLY LOUISIANA SNAPPING TURTLE," all except for little Epossumondas, who cleverly and bravely saves the day. In the end, all (except the turtle) celebrate with strawberry shortcake. Salley's telling never misses a beat, and Stevens's energetic illustrations depict not only the unmistakable Ms. Salley as Mama, but also a matching "Auntie" in flowered dress, red pumps and party hat, both wonderfully contrasted with a truly GREAT, HUGE, UGLY LOUISIANA SNAPPING TURTLE. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780152057015
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: 11/1/2006
Pages: 48
Sales rank: 221,076
Age range: 4 - 8 Years
Product dimensions: 10.60 (w) x 10.20 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Meet the Author

COLEEN SALLEY was a professor of children's literature for thirty years and now travels widely as a professional storyteller. The old tale of "Epaminondas" is her trademark; her variation on this story appears in print for the first time as Epossumondas. A native Southerner, she lives in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.

JANET STEVENS is the author and illustrator of many popular and award-winning books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book Tops & Bottoms, the Texas Bluebonnet winner Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, and the Texas Bluebonnet nominee And The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon. She also illustrated To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda, an ABBY Honor Book. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

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

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

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.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble