Guji Guji (First American)

Rating:
Summary: Crocs and ducks living together?
Review: Amazon Warning: ***SPOILER INFO?***

Chen's book starts off with Mother Duck sitting on her nest of eggs - but the plot soon thickens as another egg rolls into the nest and she doesn't even notice.

When the eggs begin to hatch the first one has blue spots - and she calls him 'Crayon'. The second has brown stripes and he's named 'Zebra'. The third is yellow and appropriately gets named 'Moonlight'. Then, the fourth hatchling is a little peculiar. He breaks out and says, `Guji Guji'. And so the story goes...

Of course their mother loves them all and treats them all the same. However, Guji soon learns he's a little different - bigger and stronger. He's got no feathers and no beak or webbed feet. He's even made fun of by the crocodiles who live in the river - who also threaten him and his family. And it's at this point Guji comes up with a plan to save his mother and siblings!

It's a book about family loyalty. Guji's a winner.


Rating:
Summary: Second Grade Review of Guji-Guji
Review: Guji Guji
By Chih-Yuan Chen
Price: $15.95 hardcover
Published in 2004


This book is about a crocodile named Guji-Guji who is raised by ducks. His name is "Guji-Guji" because those were the first words he said. The mother duck raised Guji-Guji and all her other children (Crayon, Zebra, and Moonlight) and loved them all. Guji-Guji learned faster and quicker than his brother and sister ducklings but he still loved them.

One day some bad crocodiles turn up and want Guji-Guji to help with their plan to eat some fat juicy ducks. Guji-Guji has to choose between the ducks and the crocodiles. Which one will he choose? Read this book and find out.

The illustrations are funny and fun and creative. Some are weird. They give you hints that the words don't say. The book is thirty-two pages long. It is a fun story and children from kindergarden to third graders will especially like it.
Maybe a fourth or fifth grade or even a grown-up might enjoy it. If you like Guji-Guji you may like Chih-Yuan Chen's other book, On My Way to Buy Eggs.

We give this book four stars: ****

Rating:
Summary: A Charming Keeper!
Review: I first heard of this book when it was reviewed on NPR's Weekend Edition, by Daniel Pinkwater (himself a well-known children's book author). I completely trust his opinions. It was he, for example, that first let me know about the marvelous "Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type". He was so enthusiastic about this book that I purchased it immediately. Once again, he recommended a winner.

Some children's books have great "shelf appeal"; they look cute, but they don't stand the test of time. By contrast, this one will be passed down by your kids to their kids! It has fantastic art that never gets old, and a charming story that, while it ends happily, has some genuine tension that preschool and early elementary kids (and adults) will love.

It's a marvelous story of family values. I think this book would be extra-special for families with adopted children, step-children, or blended families of any kind. It reinforces the message that a family is about love, not genetics. But it isn't preachy or moralizing at all.

Most highly recommended.