When Randolph Turned Rotten

Starred review from November 12, 2007
Ivy the goose has been invited to a fabulous sleepover party at her cousin’s beach house, and she can’t stop talking about it. Her best friend, Randolph the beaver, starts feeling “horrible, rotten, awful, and icky” (never mind that it’s an all-girl party), and he decides to do everything possible to make Ivy’s experience miserable. Positioning himself as a “sleepover expert,” he tells Ivy to pack all kinds of impractical things (like a ridiculous flashing hat) to scare away “awful beach bears” and “huge, hungry beach snakes.” But Randolph’s plan backfires: everything he has Ivy schlep to the beach—including the logs he’s snuck in just to make her bag extra-heavy—are the very things that save the party from disaster. Harper (Just Grace
) uses a range of framings to give her story the brisk pace of a comic book, and she embellishes her wry, economical narration with word balloons that let the characters have their say. Every one of her acrylic vignettes is a goofy gem—the doll-like characters bubble with endearing, outsize personalities. An astute and empathetic look at jealousy and other emotions. Ages 5-8.

Starred review from December 1, 2007
PreS-Gr 2-Best friends Randolph (a beaver) and Ivy (a Canada goose) do everything together until Ivy receives an invitation to an all-girls sleepover at her cousin's beach house. Her constant chatter about the party has her friend feeling a little left out and a bit jealous. "That's when Randolph's insides changed from very-best-friend insides to horrible, rotten, awful, and icky insides." Ivy is totally oblivious to his feelings. She doesn't even find it odd when Randolph insists that she take a huge heavy blanket, a pointy stick for protection from beach bears, or a marshmallow necklace to throw at the bears should they attack. She even carries the extra-heavy suitcase that Randolph has filled with logs. At first, he is pleased with his rotten self, but then he begins to miss his best friend and feels remorse. Ironically, it is Randolph's rotten tricks that save the party when the guests are accidentally locked out of the house and must spend the night on the beach. The acrylic cartoons are colorful, yet simple. Facial detail is minimal, but still expressive. Randolph changes from nice guy to reprobate with just the addition of two heavy brows above his eyes. The illustrations add humor, extend the narrative, and complete the story with dialogue balloons. Readers will recognize a bit of themselves in Randolph. Friends (or siblings) will appreciate the strength of relationships and the importance of forgiveness. A great title for one-on-one or individual reading.Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2007
Randolph, a beaver, and Ivy, a goose, sit inmatching chairs and read, and sleep in a bunk bed.They are veryhappy, until Ivy is invited to a birthday party. WhenRandolph realizes hes going to be left alone while his friend enjoys a rollicking good time, hedoesbad things, including scaringIvywith stories about the snakes and bears that she will meet on her trip. OnceIvy isgone, though, hes overcome with guilt. When theres an accident at the party, Ivy ends up saving the daythanks to Randolphstricks. Her successthen paves the way forthe old friends'happy reconciliation. What could have been saccharine and pedantic is instead made irreverent and fun thanks toHarpers exaggerated situations and signature art, with its brightly colored backgrounds and charminglysimple figures. Childrenwill appreciate the lighthearted look at jealousy and enjoy thelively silliness on display.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2008
Beaver Randolph and goose Ivy share an idyllic camaraderie until a party invitation for Ivy provokes a Jekyll and Hydelike transformation in her pal, shown in Harper's daffy, primitive-style paintings. Randolph's hurt feelings drive him to try to sabotage Ivy's fun--then feel horribly guilty. By story's end Randolph's dastardly alter-ego disappears, proving no match for the power of very best friends.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2008
Jealousy gnaws with buck teeth in this knowing cartoon portrayal of a common hindrance to friendship. Best friends Randolph the beaver and Ivy the Canada goose share an idyllic camaraderie until a party invitation for Ivy provokes a Jekyll and Hyde-like transformation in her rodent pal. Oblivious to Randolph's resentment at being excluded from this all-girl event, an excited Ivy jabbers on about it via dialogue bubbles in Harper's daffy, primitive-style paintings: "Can you believe it? A sleepover birthday party! It's going to be the best party ever!" As the party draws near, Harper humorously and perceptively shows the green-eyed monster at work. Randolph's hurt feelings drive him to try to sabotage Ivy's fun, and he changes from "Best Friend Randolph" to "Nasty Randolph," complete with, as a labeled illustration of him reveals, "mad hands" and "mean feet." This rotten character fills Ivy's overnight bag with logs to impede her flight and advises her to wear a laughable outfit. But once she's gone, even the pleasure of chewing on the wooden seesaw at the park (something Ivy never lets him do) doesn't stop him from missing her and feeling horribly guilty. Lucky for him, a chain of events turns Ivy's ridiculous garb into essential party-saving props, and Randolph's dastardly alter-ego disappears, proving no match for the power of very best friends.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)