Babamarusia Reviews SPUD by Patsy Clairmont

SPUD
Tales from the Pantry Book 4: Little Life Lessons from Mom and Dad
Patsy Clairmont, Author
Joni Oeltjenbruns, Illustrator
Tommy Nelson, Publisher
ISBN 140030802X
32 pages
AR 3.8


SPUD is a rat on the prowl, looking for someone to intimidate. Meatball, Soccer and Stinky MacKenzie are mice who are at home while their parents grocery shop with the twins. When Spud comes along, looking bigger and talking louder, the three team up to stop him.


My Review:
This is book four in a series, so perhaps if I had read the previous three it would make more sense. As it is, the first and only book I have read is the fourth in the series titled "Tales from the Pantry." The book didn't give any lead into what the premise was for its composition, and so I found the first pages rather confusing.


When I read it, my husband and I were riding in the car, so I read it to him, and we both had the same impressions. First, we didn't understand if this book was from a Christian perspective, but assumed it such because of Patsy Clairmont's writing for adults and the publisher. There is no corrolated biblical teaching, and no Bible translation referenced. We thought it unusual for the three mice to be left home alone while the parents shopped, and also that their first reaction to solving the bully problem was to pelt Spud with objects.


Second, when the MacKenzie parents did return, the three were commended for standing up to the bully, as sometimes it's "the only thing you can do." Our opinion was that in this day and age it isn't wise even for adults to challenge a bully, let alone children, because of not knowing how violent he/she will become.


I did appreciate the illustrations created by Joni Oeltjenbruns. I found the colors pleasing, and that Spud and the mice family were portrayed to show their personalities in a real manner.


On a scale of 1-5, I give this book a 3.

...babamarusia