The Only Way is Badger by Stella J. Jones - ADVISABLE

The Only Way is Badger by Stella J. Jones, illustrated by Carmen Saldana. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2018. $17. 9781680100983

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Badger has declared that badgers are the best and and tests his fellow animals to see if they can act more like a badger. When Deer can’t dig and Moose can’t burrow they are sent over the wall and separated from everyone. Eventually everyone ends up on the other side of the wall enjoying each other’s company and badger is lonely and has to apologize. 

Woodland animals are often my favorite kind of creature characters, and these are well illustrated. The message of the story is a bit heavy-handed, but not off-putting. I like that the story didn’t just end with a lonely badger, but ended with a bold apology. I think that apology was more subtle and tasteful than the big and loud message about conformity. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher