Buddy and Earl - by Maureen Fergus (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Buddy does not know what is in the box that Meredith carries into the living room. But when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate--and that Buddy is a pirate too--the two mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

"An understated winner of a friendship story. ... simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless." -- Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

What's in the box that Meredith has carried into the living room? Buddy doesn't know, but when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate -- and that Buddy is a pirate, too -- the mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.

In this first book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative. Maureen Fergus's text is witty and understated, and Carey Sookocheff's art emphasizes both the humor and the warmth of this odd and loveable animal couple.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

Review Quotes

A simple story for animal loving readers and proponents of imaginative play.-- "School Library Journal"

An understated winner of a friendship story. . . . simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless.-- "Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW"

Deserves to be read aloud over and over again.-- "Boston Globe"

Enjoy the humor, and the depth of characterization, in both art and text, and hope for more Buddy and Earl adventures.-- "Horn Book"

Fergus succeeds in engaging readers with this rollicking adventure in a way that never feels didactic or forced. . . Sookocheff marks a promising debut with her first picture book.-- "Quill & Quire"

Fergus' deadpan text and Sookocheff's simple, flowing artwork work in elemental harmony, working together to elevate the book to a subliminal sophistication that breathes something quite smart into the proceedings.-- "Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW"

Readers will enjoy the antics of these two playful friends and will look forward to more of their adventures in the future. Highly Recommended.-- "CM Magazine"

Their charmingly raucous game of make-believe is appealing enough, but the sneaky lesson in deductive reasoning makes this frolicsome, read-aloud-friendly picture book truly outstanding.-- "Booklist, STARRED REVIEW"

About the Author

Maureen Fergus is an award-winning author of books for kids of all ages. Her novels include The Gypsy King trilogy and Ortega; her picture books include And What If I Won't? and The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten. She currently lives in Winnipeg with her husband, three kids, a dog, and a hedgehog.

Carey Sookocheff's illustrations have garnered awards from Communication Arts and American Illustration as well as the Society of Illustrators. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two daughters and one dog. Buddy and Earl is her first picture book.