Skunk and Badger (Skunk and Badger 1)

by Amy Timberlake

Other authorsJon Klassen (Illustrator)

Hardcover, 2020

Call number

JF TIM

Publication

Algonquin Young Readers (2020), Edition: Illustrated, 136 pages

Description

The last thing Badger wants is a roommate, and certainly not Skunk, but since the house does not belong to him he does not have a choice; and soon everything in Badger's quiet and ordered life studying rocks is turned upside down (and where on earth did all the chickens come from)--but after he drives Skunk and his chickens away, Badger starts to miss his roommate and sets out to find him and make amends.

User reviews

LibraryThing member eyes.2c

What an adorable read!

Badger a solitary and scholarly rock collector lives alone in his Aunt's brownstone. That is until skunk comes to stay. His life changes, with the wonderful skunk as the catalyst. Where he once dined on cereal and milk he know tastes muffins and hot chocolate. His life is

turned upside down. Then there's the chickens. I love the tiny orange chicken.
Just as Badger is starting to learn about caring and sharing it all goes terribly wrong.
Accompanied by charming colored plates and pen and ink illustrations enhance the story. Wonderful elements about differences and acceptance are woven around these two main characters. Some humorous moments that lift this junior and middle school story into the company of some of our best loved stories for the young.

An Algonquin Young Readers ARC via NetGalley

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LibraryThing member MillieHennessy

This review and others posted over at Milliebot Reads.

Thank you to Algonquin for sending me this book for free in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I’m sure I must have read the Frog and Toad books back in grade school; I know for a certainty I read them to a student a few years ago when I

participated in a reading program at his school. In a longer, chapter-book format than our amphibian friends, Skunk and Badger convey important life lessons through their dissimilar personalities and some humor.

I certainly saw a bit of myself in Badger. I’m very much a “place for everything and everything in its place” type, and so is he. His rock room is very particularly organized and decorated, including: “In the fireplace, Badger had piled geodes in a pyramid. (Artistic!)” The artistic comment made me smile and I totally agree. That’s a great use of a fireplace if you’re not using it for, you know, fires. Readers even get a little lesson from Badger on the difference between minerals and rocks as he does his work.

Badger has his routines, he keeps his aunt’s house orderly (except maybe for the room full of boxes he’s hoarding, but as an adult, I know how hard it is to let go of a good box – you might need it someday!) and he enjoys his alone time. Or does he?

It’s great to watch Skunk bring Badger out of his shell with delicious meals, messes, and many, many chickens. Skunk isn’t just all fun and games though. One night he’s reading Shakespeare’s Henry V and explains his thoughts on the material to Badger:

“Gentle and kind is the way I would like the world to be. I hope it will be that way. But Badger, if it were true that kindness and gentleness were the best way to win a kingdom – or win anything at all – wouldn’t everyone do it? Not everyone is gentle and kind. Even I myself find it hard to be kind and gentle. Sometimes I get mad.”

The book is full of little thoughtful moments like that one. Later, Badger is getting advice on how to apologize from other animals in town. Some of the sage advice includes actually saying “I’m sorry” out loud, making sure not to say “I’m sorry, but”, and to truly listen to Skunk.

I love when lessons and learning are embedded right into the story and come naturally from the personalities and interactions between characters. This is such a charming little book and I was just so happy reading it. I love how Timberlake made sure to work the animals’ natural instincts and characteristics into their characters, rather than just making them act like humans.

And the illustrations! Hopefully you didn’t think I was going to skip those. You know how much I enjoy illustrations and design elements. I love Klassen’s style and I was charmed from the very cover by Skunk’s grin as he holds out his hand to meet a clearly skeptical Badger. There are several large illustrations and cute chapter headers, and I definitely want to check out the hardcover, since it was published yesterday (September 15).

I’m hoping this is a series because I’m going to need more of these two in my life! I highly recommend this for middle-grade lovers like myself, as well as younger readers looking for stories about seemingly unlikely friendships and animal shenanigans.

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LibraryThing member bookwren

Quite hilarious at times (tens of zany chickens!), and endearing (Skunk's care for said chickens); reminiscent of the Bear and Mouse series by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton with curmudgeonly Badger and Bear and effervescent Mouse and Skunk. Lovely illustrations - some color, most black and

white.

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LibraryThing member DianeVogan

This is the best book for young readers that I have read in along time. There is lots of fun, love and what friendship means. The illustrations, chicken stories, ukulele, rocket potato, vibrant pickaxe-and-dynamite pajamas (and more) were delightful touches. Thank you Amy Timberlake and Jon Klassen.

LibraryThing member Sheila1957

Skunk turns up at Badger's thinking he has a place to live but Badger did not read Aunt Lula's letters telling him about the arrangements. Badger feels Skunk is a distraction he does not need or want. But living with Skunk opens up Badger's world until the stoat incident when Badger insults Skunk

so that Skunk leaves. Badger begins to feel bad but justified until he has to explain it in a letter to Aunt Lula. Now what is he to do?

I enjoyed this story. It opened my eyes to the prejudice we often don't believe we have. It also opened my eyes to how insulated we can become as we stay in our own safe little comfort zones. Once Badger had his eyes opened he realized how much he had missed and how small his world was. Taking the steps necessary to have Skunk come home makes the story. I liked how they worked it out including the chickens. This is a wonderful story with great illustrations sure to delight your children.

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LibraryThing member Fliss88

This year I've read a few books in this genre, for the - middle reader/children. I'm not really sure what a middle reader is, I would call it a chapter book, aimed at those young readers who are comfortable reading alone and branching out into longer, more grownup books. Skunk and Bagder are the

typical odd couple, complete opposites who find themselves trying to share a house. Badger does very important work with rocks and Skunk has chicken friends, lots of chicken friends. Yes they speak, except for the chickens, they only bock. Yes they eat breakfasts of waffles and fried potatoes and drink breakfast hot chocolates, but that's okay. The story is a delight. It's all about what makes friends friends and life important.

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LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd

If you know a child (grades 2-5 or 39+) who loved Frog and Toad and needs a more grown-up version....here it is. I absolutely loved this story of two mismatched lodgers in Aunt Lula's brownstone with their quirky habits and seemingly irreconcilable differences, who find they really don't want to

live without one another. Chickens also enter into it. Fantastic.

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LibraryThing member comfypants

A reclusive badger gets an unwelcome roommate.

3/4 (Good)

There are some great moments, but they don't end up tying into the story or having any follow through. The last few chapters are entirely focused on teaching a lesson.

(Oct. 2021)

LibraryThing member lycomayflower

An illustrated children's chapter book about a Badger, who lives in his aunt's brownstone and does Important Rock Work. One day Skunk shows up saying Aunt Lula said he could stay there too. Oh no, people! And then there's chickens. It's silly and also often adorable and sweet and is about changes

and how those aren't always bad and about making friends. I was just a liiiittle done with it before it was over, but I am also not the target audience. The illustrations are perfection.

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