A Perfect Home for a Family by David L. Harrison (review)

Papa and Mama Raccoon are about to have twins, but their home in a tree has become too noisy (thanks to another round of blue jay chicks) and too crowded (a large opossum family has moved in upstairs). The pair head to town and consult real estate agent A. J. Squirrel, who shows them a wonderfully spacious attic. After negotiating a fair rental price (eight acorns a month), the raccoons move in. To their dismay, the residents below—a human family with a dog and a baby—are noisy as well: "'What's that?' said Mama. 'People,' said Papa, 'right under our feet.' 'I'm out of here,' said Mama." Mama heads for their original home, and to her and Papa's joy they find that the blue jays and opossums have moved out, just in time for the birth of the twins. The plot owes much to P. D. Eastman's classic easy reader The Best Nest, but it is still quite enjoyable in its own right. The simple vocabulary and laconic narrative ("'Follow me,' said Mama. 'Where to?' said Papa. 'Town,' said Mama") not only keeps the pace effectively brisk but also puts this within the abilities of many young readers. Angaramo's acrylic paintings are cheerful and congenial, and the predominant creams, browns, and spring greens are buoyed by brighter touches of cherry reds, sunny yellows, and cool teals. Mama and Papa, with their almost trapezoidal heads, rotund bodies, and fluffy tails, are winsome figures, as are the pudgy blue jay chicks and pink-nosed baby opossums. Paired with The Best Nest, this might be used with primary graders to discuss comparing and contrasting stories; it could also be used for readers theater.