Groundhog Roundup: Woodchuck Chuckles for the Picture Book Set

As I remarked in my previous post, what used to be a woodchuck wasteland for the picture book set has become a groundhog glut for parents, teachers, and librarians looking for material for this "timely" holiday. Here are just a few.

Known for her clever holiday books, Margery Cuyler has a new one, Groundhog Stays Up Late, which plays with the theme of the Aesop fable "The Grasshopper and the Ant." Her groundhog hates to hibernate; sleeping all winter is just plain boring work. His forest friends, however, insist that he has to do his duty and drop off to sleep in the fall. How else, Bear, Badger, and Squirrel implore, will they know when to end their winter dormancy without Groundhog's help?

"I don't have to hibernate to do THAT!" Groundhog insists.

"Don't expect us to give you shelter when it snows," grumbles Bear.

"Or food when you get hungry," Squirrel chimes in.

"Or warmth when you get cold," Badger adds emphatically.

Despite their warnings, Groundhog enjoys the brisk fall weather and greets the first snow with "WOW! SNOW. Want to make a snowman?" he invites the non-hibernating animals. But Hare, Fox, and Weasel have other, snugger winter plans, and with "What a bunch of stick-in-the-muds!" Groundhog plays in the snow all alone. Before long, though, he finds himself growing thin and chilly, and true to their promises, the sleepy animals refuse to share their warm dens. Desperate, Groundhog plays his best hand. On the first sunny day, he wakes all his friends:

"Spring's come early! Let's CELEBRATE! Let's EAT! he shouts at their doors.

Although Groundhog gets his much-needed meal, his trick is soon discovered when snow begins to fall again. Finally Groundhog yields to the inevitable and hibernates in a hastily prepared hole. But his friends show they can play pranks, too, when they paint a realistic looking shadow at the mouth of his burrow. When February 2 rolls around, Groundhog emerges, sees the fake shadow, and with a "Nuts! Six more weeks of winter" sadly goes back to sleep, while Bear, Badger, and Squirrel frolic in the early spring sunshine and enjoy the last laugh on friend Groundhog.

Jean Cassals' endearing illustrations, reminiscent of Jan Brett's style, add much to the hibernation humor in this funny tale of a stay-up-late groundhog.

Don Freeman, of Corduroy fame, has an entry in the shy groundhog sub-genre, titled Gregory's Shadow (Picture Puffins).

Shy Gregory's only friend is his shadow, whom he takes everywhere he goes. "I'm right behind you," Shadow reassures him. But when timid Gregory is frightened in the dark barnyard one night, in his haste to get inside he locks Shadow outside his door. Lonely and frightened, too, Shadow finally manages to convince Gregory that he's got his back covered, and tucking in tightly at his heels, Shadow helps Gregory announce the return of spring to his waiting fans.

Abby Levine incorporates a bit of groundhog history in her Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day! Gretchen is a young groundhog stricken with stage fright when faced with taking over the job for her Great-Uncle Gus, anguishing over facing the hordes of tourists, TV cameras, reporters, townspeople, and brass bands on February 2.

But Uncle Gus is sympathetic. "The first time always the hardest," he counsels. Gretchen is still frozen with fear, and The Picadilly Post starts a panic when they print the news that there may be no groundhog appearance on Groundhog Day. Then Gus takes Gretchen to see Town Historian Hester, who fills Gretchen in on the many shy groundhogs who nonetheless came out to do their job every year. There was Goody Groundhog, who inspired the Pilgrims and Indians with the news that "The Second Winter will be better than the first!" Then there was General George Groundhog, reviving the hopes of the troops at Valley Forge, and General Grant Groundhog, cowboy star Gene Groundhog, and vintage movie star Gloria Groundhog, who were all afraid to Go Out, but conquered their fear to do their jobs.

At last Gretchen takes heart and does her duty beautifully on February 2, and the Post headline proclaims

GRETCHEN GOES OUT!
PICADILLY PLEASED AND PROUD!

Women's lib comes to woodchuck lit in Susannah Hill's Punxsutawney Phyllis. Phyllis is an outdoorsy girl groundhog who even loves getting up early to enjoy cold spring water and mud between her toes. Her goal in life is to become her Uncle Phil's successor as the harbinger of the vernal scene. But taking over the Punxsutawaney gig is not going to be easy, she learns:

"When I grow up, I'm going to be Punxsutawney Phil," Phyllis said.

"Don't be silly, dear," her mother said. "Punxsutawney Phil is a fellow."

But when Phyllis awakes very early one dreary morning to the "drip-drip-drip" sound of melting snow, her investigations convince her that it's time to announce the return of warmer weather. Uncle Phil, however, is determined to sleep in, and even when Phyllis drags him out to see for himself, he's unconvinced until Phyllis points out the subtle signs of early spring. Finally, Phil reluctantly concurs that perhaps Phyllis is best qualified for the job, and Pennsylvania welcomes its new Punxsutawney prognosticator. In Uncle Phil's own words,

"The best Phil for the job is a Phyllis!"

A strong afterword with plenty of Groundhog Day (Candlemas)lore, including the beginning of Phil's reign as "Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinaire," and his rate of correct predictions (37-39%), plus Gregory Ebbele's bouncy full-bleed acrylic illustrations make this a worthy choice for the woodchuck collection.

This title is also available as a book and cassette readalong under the title Wake Up, Groundhog! (Punxsutawney Phyllis) (Book and Audiocassette Tape) (Paperback), great for primary classrooms and individual reading practice.

Judy Cox makes good use of kids' love for holidays in her Go To Sleep, Groundhog! Her dutiful Groundhog goes to bed early on Columbus Day, but has an unexpected case of insomnia. Finally he gives up trying to drift off into hibernation and gets up at "half-past October" to take a little walk to invite sleep. Outside he finds an intriguing scene, filled with jack o'lanterns, costumed kids, and witches. One witch recognizes Groundhog, and with a brusque "What are you doing up?" gives him a broom ride home and tucks him in with a ghost story and cup of apple cider.

At "half-past November," Groundhog is awake again and ventures out into the Thanksgiving scene, where a turkey flies him back to the burrow and beds him down with a piece of pumpkin pie and a Pilgrim tale. By "half-past December" the wakeful woodchuck is up again, this time to wander right into a full-blown winter wonderland. This time Santa flies him home in his sleigh, reads him a Christmas story, adds cookies and milk to the bedtime ritual, and at last Groundhog goes down for a long winter's nap.

When the clock he set in October finally rings on February 2, though, Groundhog gives the sunny, snow-covered scene a bleary eyeball, and seeing his shadow, gladly goes back for six more weeks in snoozeville. Kids will love the idea of all of these holiday characters coming together for Groundhog's tucking-in, and the zippy illustrations are half the fun.

For early independent readers, the noted Robin Hill School series has a Level One reader featuring Mrs. Connor's class studying Groundhog Day. On the board Mrs. Connor writes

"If the sun shines bright
on Groundhog Day,
The snow will swirl
until it's May.

If the snow blows hard
on Groundhog Day,
The sun will shine
before it's May."

After Mrs. Connor takes them through the calendar's seasonal markers, she introduces the class to Chester, a hamster who will be standing in for his groundhog cousin at the class's Groundhog Day party. On the big day, Chester's cage goes up on a wide windowsill, where Chester sees nary a sign of a shadow. "No more winter!" the class rejoices. Although Mrs. Connor points out that groundhogs are not always right in their forecasts, "that year, that sunny year, he was!"

Just like those Druids of old, we, too, can only hope!