Making the Moose Out of Life by Nicholas Oldland- ADVISABLE

Oldland, Nicholas. Making the Moose Out of Life, PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2015. $7.95. Bear and Beaver are always having so much fun. Moose feels like perhaps he is missing out. He’s always very careful and trying to stay safe. One day he decides that to find the thing he is missing, he needs to be brave and try new things. A boat arrives and he goes on a voyage. His ship runs aground of an island during a storm. He gets to work finding food, water, and shelter. He even finds a turtle friend named Tuesday. Moose and Tuesday take advantage of life and go swimming when it’s hot, surfing when the waves are high, and roasting coconuts when it’s cold. Moose eventually gets rescued by a cruise ship and is returned to his friends, Bear and Beaver, who are ecstatic about his new fun-loving attitude. This is an addition to the Life is Wild series of books, but it stands alone. The focus of the book on enjoying the possibilities in life is well delivered and the situations that Moose gets himself into are interesting and relatable. It would be a great example for those readers who are afraid to try new things. EL (K-3)- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by Shay, School Librarian