Virgil & Owen Stick Together

by Paulette Bogan, Paulette Bogan (Illustrator)

Overview

Virgil and Owen are best friends! They love playing together at home and at school. But sometimes even best friends can be very different. Virgil loves to be the first one to school. Owen likes to take his time. Virgil always raises his hand the fastest. Owen likes to think things through. One day Virgil hurries Owen a bit too much, and their friendship is suddenly on thin ice. Will Virgil be able to see that a little patience goes a long way between friends?

In a new picture book with audio featuring this lovable duo, Virgil and Owen show that even if friends don't agree, they can always find a way to have fun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619639317
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	01/12/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

PAULETTE BOGAN is the author and illustrator of many beloved books for children, including Virgil&Owen, Goodnight Lulu, and Lulu the Big Little Chick. She is also the illustrator of Chicks and Salsa and Buffalo Wings, written by Aaron Reynolds. Lulu the Big Little Chick won the Children's Choice Book Award. Paulette lives with her family and her dogs, Spikey and Mufasa, in New York City.

www.paulettebogan.com

Editorial Reviews

11/02/2015
The eponymous stars of Virgil & Owen are back, and penguin Virgil is still pretty pushy where polar bear Owen is concerned. Virgil has little patience for Owen’s slower-paced approach to life, finishing writing Owen’s name in the snow, completing a story the bear is telling, and grabbing Virgil’s sandwich out of his paws (“Lunch is over! Hurry up!”). This is a bridge too far for Owen, whose roar lets Virgil know he has overstepped, setting the stage for a speedy reconciliation. Both characters’ personalities come through clearly in the text and artwork, making for an amusing and helpful reminder of the pluses and minuses of an opposites-attract friendship. Ages 4–8. Agent: Victoria Wells Arms, Wells Arms Literary. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Ideal for winter story time, and will be a great fit for lessons centering on what it means to be a friend. Recommended." - School Library Connection

"Will offer plenty of opportunities for conversations about patience, friendship, and forgiveness, and the snowy high jinks make for a fun storytime." - Booklist

"An amusing and helpful reminder of the pluses and minuses of an opposites-attract friendship." - Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

11/01/2015
PreS-Gr 1—Virgil, a penguin, and Owen, a polar bear, are best friends who do everything together. Owen loves math, writing his name, storytime, and lunch, but Virgil is always rushing him to finish these things. Owen gets so frustrated that he roars at Virgil, sending him flying into a pile of snow. The pals gently apologize to each other. The pen, watercolor, and gouache illustrations work nicely for the Arctic setting and are pleasing in their detail, color scheme, and expressiveness. Owen learns that he should tell Virgil if he is upset, and Virgil learns that he needs to be more considerate of Owen's feelings. This charming selection teaches kids that sometimes it takes a little bit of compromise to make a friendship work. VERDICT A good pick for storytimes, and a sweet general purchase for most collections.—Liz Anderson, D.C. Public Library

School Library Journal

2015-09-16
Virgil and Owen, from their previous eponymous title, might be best friends, but Virgil still has some friendship lessons to learn. Owen, the lumpy polar bear, likes to take his time. He walks to school slowly, practices writing his name very deliberately, and munches on his lunch with slow, measured bites. Penguin Virgil, however, rushes through life with the force of a tornado. Whenever Owen starts something, Virgil jumps in and finishes. Owen's frustration slowly builds until he can't take it anymore and lets out a loud, "RROOAARRR." Virgil, who goes flying, has plenty of time to think about his actions while stuck up to his beak in snow. Ostensibly about Virgil slowing down to learn patience, Bogan's story explores a common toddler impulse—interruption—with sensitivity and humor. Owen counts snowballs: "One… two… three…," and Virgil jumps in to toss three more on the pile with a glib, "Four, five, SIX. Easy peasy, my friend." It's a great discussion starter on reading friends' cues (Owen presents some very obvious looks of shock, dismay, and anger) and learning to control the temptation to jump in. A welcome glimpse into child sensibilities. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews