Creature Crossing

June 1, 1999
Gr 3-5-Another ecological novel about three friends who first appeared in Starshine and Sunglow (Greenwillow, 1994). When Ben finds a small creature in a ditch, he is sure that it is a baby dinosaur and he dreams of fame and fortune. He shares his secret with Kate and Foster and the three of them care for the animal together. When the children discover that the liz-thing is really an endangered spotted salamander, they also learn that many of these creatures are killed by cars as they cross the road during their migration back to their original hatching pool or pond. The friends, along with their conservation-minded neighbor, come up with a plan to get the salamanders safely to their breeding pool. The characters are well defined and light suspense keeps readers interested. Black-and-white illustrations highlight the action. Creature Crossing fits in nicely with ecology units and would serve as an appropriate read-aloud.Cheryl Cufari, Glencliff Elementary School, Niskayuna, NY

Copyright 1999 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 1999
Gr. 3^-5. When Ben finds what he thinks is a baby dinosaur in the woods, he's afraid that if any adults find out, he won't get credit for his discovery. He tells his best friends, Foster and Kate, but for their own reasons, they aren't as helpful or excited about the mysterious creature as Ben wishes. When Ben's research reveals the "liz-thing" is a salamander, he's disappointed. But salamanders, as an endangered species, require protection, and the three friends shift their focus to involving and uniting the community in a campaign of environmental awareness, which brings its own rewards. Through the alternating perspectives of three youthful, very different narrators, this well-written story is both poignant and humorous, capturing the complex dynamics of friendships and the challenges of earning the respect of adults and peers alike. Readers will enjoy the suspense of learning the creature's identity, as well as the dimensional, expressive characters, in this engaging sequel to "Starshine and Sunglow" (1994). To be illustrated by Jos A. Smith. ((Reviewed March 1, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)

July 1, 1999
Ben finds an unusual lizardlike animal that he is pretty certain is some sort of exotic primeval creature and talks his friends Kate and Foster into helping him find out what it is. The plot is low-key but believable, and the main characters are more fully fleshed out than they were in this book's predecessor, "Starshine and Sunglow". The novel's brevity and its enticing title and jacket art are all elements that should help it reach its target audience.

(Copyright 1999 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)