Susan Blackaby
Illustrated by Carmen Segovia
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
It is the second of February, and Brownie the groundhog has come out of her burrow to see if she can see her shadow or not. As she stands on the snow, she looks down, and there, “stretched across the frosted field,” is her shadow. It looks as if there is going to be six more weeks of winter, and she is going to have to “Wait, wait, wait” for spring.
Then, before she can do anything to save herself, a fox jumps on Brownie and he asks her to hold still because he wants to eat her for breakfast. Brownie is a very clever animal and she manages to put off the fox by telling him that it is too late for breakfast. He will have to wait for lunchtime.
Brownie and the fox wander across the snow together. Brownie looks for signs of spring, while the fox tries to ignore his hungry stomach. Brownie knows full well that at lunchtime the fox is going to want to eat her. Somehow, she is going to have to find a way to save herself.
In this wonderful picture book, we meet a groundhog who knows how to think on her feet, or rather on her paws. Children will laugh when they see what Brownie does to the poor fox, and how she turns a potential enemy into a friend.
Paired with Carmen Segovia’s unique vintage looking illustrations, this story is a wonderful tale to read during cold February days when one is looking for signs of spring.
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For those of you who don't live in the U.S., here is some information about Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania
The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney , Pennsylvania Punxsutawney
The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania
An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, dated February 5, 1841, of Berks County , Pennsylvania
Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.
For those of you who don't know what a groundhog is, they are large rodents belonging to the family of large ground squirrels known as marmots. They are also called woodchucks or land-beavers. They can weigh up to 9 pounds (4 kg)
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