Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake (review)

Badger has been staying at his aunt Lula's unused brownstone, content to be alone and focused on his "Important Rock Work," until Skunk shows up at the door, explaining that Aunt Lula is allowing him to stay at her house too. Badger appreciates Skunk's culinary talents and his enthusiasm for Badger's geological lessons, but he doesn't warm to Skunk's chicken friends, especially when Skunk's defense of the birds against a stoat attack leaves Badger skunked. After kicking Skunk out, though, Badger promptly regrets it and sets off to find him. The odd couple premise is a familiar one, but there's a nice balance of frustration and affection between these two characters, reminiscent of Lobel's Frog and Toad stories, and the chicken storyline brings a unique absurdity. Badger's trip into town to find Skunk adds further quirky detail, with a vole staffing the desk at the Twisty Hotel and a salamander running the Double-Dice Game Shop, and particularly amusing is the various residents' advice on giving a proper apology. Klassen's black and white art is finely lined with intricate detail and rich shading, calibrating to the story's classic feel but maintaining a modern edge with its angularity and varied perspectives. Readers graduating from Lobel's work but still looking for a good animal buddy story will find it with Skunk and Badger.