- Hardcover: 176 pages
- Publisher: Balzer & Bray (Sep 25 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0062050907
- ISBN-13: 978-0062050908
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 17.5 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#1,913,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #81 in Books > Children's Books > Ages 4-8 > Staff Favorites
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Product Details |
Product Description
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6. A wildly funny story of a newly wed woodchuck couple who find a willful, wailing human toddler and take her into their home and into their hearts.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
A fastidious woodchuck discovers parenthood to be worse than his wildest imaginings in this benign, if sardonic, animal tale from Seidler (The Wainscott Weasel, 1993, etc.). When Sally Hubble, a poster child for the ``terrible twos,'' is left in a ditch by three of her older siblings, the maternal instincts of Phoebe--the new wife of a woodchuck named Fred--are aroused despite the difference in species; soon the child, dubbed Margaret after Phoebe's mother, is ensconced in the once-spotless burrow, pulling apart glowworm lamps, smashing heirloom furniture, and greedily consuming all the honey, berries, and goat's milk the harried woodchucks can gather. Margaret grows at a great rate, and soon the family finds itself sharing a nearby cave with a squirrel, a skunk, two bats, and a snake, plus Phoebe's coquettish sister Babette and her three offspring. When at last Margaret makes the mistake of stomping on the skunk's tail, her reeking flight into the forest reunites her with her natural parents. Fred, whose relief at her flight is not entirely unmixed, realizes that his attitudes toward parenting have undergone a profound change when Phoebe shortly thereafter gives birth to little Patience. Chubby and disheveled, Margaret towers over her exhausted, dapper minions in Agee's numerous thick- lined, simply drawn cartoons. Advanced readers may perceive an edge beneath the drollery, but it's all in good fun. (Fiction. 9-11) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
One spring afternoon Fred was out foraging for food in the meadow when an inky cloud seeped over the sun. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
One spring afternoon Fred was out foraging for food in the meadow when an inky cloud seeped over the sun. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovable, Dear Comedy & Animal Fantasy,
By
This review is from: Mean Margaret (Hardcover)
Reason for Reading: I've read one previous book by this author and since I enjoyed it was looking forward to reading another of his books.I'm not sure "Mean Margaret" is actually the best title for this book as Margaret is not the main character, nor is the story really about her, but she is indeed the antagonist. The book concerns Fred, a woodchuck, and his search for a mate. His eventual marriage to the woodchuck Phoebe brings up the talk of children, which Phoebe loves and Fred hates, putting her off with lame excuses the next day they find a human child outside their burrow. Sally, renamed Margaret by the woodchucks, is the ninth child of the Hubble's, a fat lazy couple with progressively ruder and wilder children. Toddler Sally takes the cake though and no one but a mother could love her. Sharing room with siblings 6, 7, & 8, they plot to drop her off far away in the woods one night to hopefully never have to contend with her again. Such then, is the story of how Phoebe takes in this mannerliness, self-centred child to look after and care for and love as only a mother can love. Along with Fred and Phoebe are a cast of their animal friends including Skunk, Snake, Squirrel, Mr & Mrs Bat & Phoebe's sister with her own three young children. The story mainly takes place amongst the animals in the forest but does switch to the human Hubble family a few times. This is a lovable, dear comedy where nearly everyone learns a life lesson by the end of the book. Fred and Phoebe are wonderful animal characters and anyone who enjoys this type of animal fantasy will certainly like this book. There are most definitely touches of Roald Dahl in Seidler's humour as his dark humour is laced with a witty meanness that makes this as much a fun read for adults as children. The artwork by Agee is plentiful and reminded me of William Steig in style. A funny story, touching and heartwarming at times, while giggle producing at others. Not exactly a fast-paced story but one to enjoy at its own leisurely pace. This read makes me want to re-read "A Rat's Tale" the only other Seidler book I've read, and go on to reading his other books.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mean Margaret,
By Ben M. (Darien) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mean Margaret (Hardcover)
Did you ever wonder what would happen to a baby who gets ditched in the woods? If you like cartoon animal books who do human kind of things, than read Mean Margaret.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tor Seidler has another great book!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Mean Margaret (Hardcover)
Tor seidler is my cousin, and always gives me his books for Christmas, or his mom does, but usually I don't get around to reading them, but this praticular one intrigued me, so I decided to see what it was like. I found myself indulged in an exciting and hysterical plot. This is a great read!
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