Spruce the Moose Cuts Loose

We have at least 100 books for my son, but this one is my absolute favorite to read. I never get tired of reading it to him. The characters are great and the illustrations are even better. A must for every kid's library and would make a great stocking stuffer.

"Spruce the Moose Cuts Loose" has touches of "Winnie the Pooh," "Wind in the Willows," and maybe even a bit of Bullwinkle. Spruce and his three best friends-Bascom the beaver, Sedgewick the squirrel (or is it a woodchuck?), and Linwood the skunk-live in the fields and swamps surrounding "Moosemelookalike Lake." There's a wonderful map of the area a la "Wind in the Willows," although there are no references to the colorful place names in the text. Spruce is a big moose with very big antlers. They keep growing each year until mid-winter. This year, however, Spruce's antlers are staying put. In a series of light mishaps, he gets stuck in doorways, knocks over clothes lines and birdhouses, and is unable to grab a present that he made for Bascom's birthday. Spruce's friends show real friendship and understanding, and they eventually help him loosen his antlers. The warmth of the story is accompanied by Stapler's [pictures of Spruce's cozy forest cottage. It's filled with antique pottery and dishes, old snowshoes, and crafts. An old milk pail, oak barrel, and braided rugs lay upon a wood-planked floor. Outside, a pile of split lumber and a snowman decorate the frosted tree landscape of frosted trees. With friends gathered around, and Spruce wearing a green and red sweater, the book speaks of "the Christmas season" (but in a secular sense only). Recommended!

I liked the book because it was funny and it teaches kids that bad days can be really good days.