A Tall Tale About a Dachshund and a Pelican by Kizzie Jones and Scott Ward
Published: Tall Tales, 2016
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Goldie is a dachshund running carefree on the beach until she meets a pelican. Goldie is delighted by what they have in common but quickly realizes they have very distinct differences. The pelican’s long nose is flappy and full of fish while Goldie’s is just her snout. The pelican can also fly but Goldie’s attempts are unsuccessful. They agree to acknowledge their differences and embrace them instead of just looking past them.
My daughter and I bought this book at a book fair in Bellingham and the author was happy to sign it for her. Lydia gravitated to writer Kizzie Jones‘ book cover right away. She loves animals, especially dachshunds, and the sweeping golden long hair on the front drew her right in. She read the book herself in the car on the way home, proving that the text works well for a first- to a second-grade reader. Jones presents a complex theme in a way that flows comfortably from one scene to the next; where some books might just ask children to look past differences, Jones encourages them to also see differences as a benefit.
Artist Scott Ward lives in Bellingham and has a long list of art show credits. The warm colors of the dog and the pelican contrast nicely with the cool blues in the sky and the ocean. The soft shading is also very attractive and the way the animal facts are presented is reminiscent of a young reader’s science textbook. The human girl is less convincing and the artwork is most successful when it focuses on the animals.
I was less enthusiastic about the printing by IngramSpark. I’ve had high hopes for them based on how smart their business solution is, but there were several places in the hardcover where I could find obvious printer errors.
A Tall Tale About a Dachshund and a Pelican is a sweet story that delighted my daughter and would likely appeal to dachshund lovers of all ages.