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Summary
Summary
Daisy Dawson, who can understand and speak with animals, attempts to find a couple of shy otters and take their picture to bring to school, with help from Boom the basset hound and Cyril the squirrel.
Author Notes
Steve Voake is the author of the first book in the Daisy Dawson series, DAISY DAWSON IS ON HER WAY! He was a teacher before he became a full-time writer. Steve Voake lives in Somerset, England.
Jessica Meserve is a designer and children's book illustrator. She lives in Edmonton, Canada.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Daisy's ability to listen and talk to animals comes in handy for her habitat project: taking a picture of the shy otters that live in the river by her home. Boom the dog and Cyril the squirrel accompany her on her outing, which involves going across Darkwater Stump to get to the otters and then weathering a storm on the way home. Daisy is a likable heroine-she is smart and compassionate. Animal lovers will enjoy her and her friends. The one problem with the book is that the reading level is too high for the children who will most appreciate the story. Daisy does make a great read-aloud though, and the frequent black-and-white illustrations add interest and visual appeal.-Katie Cerasale-Messina, AC Whelan Elementary School, Revere, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Daisy Dawson, who can talk with animals, investigates an out-of-the-way otter pond with some squirrels and a dog pal. After a storm rolls in, a double rescue strengthens Daisy's animal friendships, old and new alike. Though the text's incorporation of habitat facts is forced (as is some of the humor), animal lovers will enjoy Daisy's kindhearted capers, shown in pastoral ink-and-pencil sketches. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Chapter 1 Wasps and Chocolate "Smile, please!" said Daisy as she pressed the button and a bright flash lit up the bathroom. Her dad's foam-covered face froze in the viewfinder, razor held in midair and eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hey!" he protested, scraping another pathway through the foam. "If I'd known we were doing a photo shoot, I'd have dressed up for the occassion." Daisy reversed into the bedroom, fell backward onto the double bed, and took an action shot of the ceiling on her way down. "Hey!" said Mom, lifting her coffee cup out of harm's way. "Be careful where you're bouncing, missy!" "Sorry," said Daisy. "But a good photographer has to be able to take photos on the move." (She had read this in a magazine at the dentist's, so she knew it was true.) "Like the new camera, then?" asked Dad, toweling his face dry. "It's the best birthday present ever," said Daisy. She turned around to take a shot of her mom drinking her coffee. "Well, don't waste the film," said Mom as she flicked through her magazine. "I'm not sure the world is ready for pictures of your dad first thing in the morning." "Thousands would disagree," said Dad. "Don't worry," said Daisy. "It's digital. See? You can just delete it if you don't like it." She pressed a button, and the picture dissolved away to nothing. "There," she said. "All gone!" Daisy's mom looked at the clock, then dropped her magazine and sprang out of bed. "Gone is where we all should be. It's a quarter past eight already!" Daisy put her camera back on the shelf and hoped she wouldn't be late for school again. Miss Frink had suggested setting her alarm clock ten minutes earlier, but this just meant that she had more time to do interesting things before she left the house. She picked up the bottle of Strawberry Surprise (birthday perfume from Grandma) and squirted some under her chin. It reminded her of the delicious chewy red candy she liked so much, so she gave herself another quick blast. Then she swung her backpack over her shoulder, jumped down the stairs three at a time, and ambled into the kitchen. "P.U.," said Dad. "What's that smell?" "It's my perfume," replied Daisy. "Strawberry Surprise." "Surprise is right," said Dad, wrinkling up his nose. "Come on, Daisy," said Mom. "Stop dawdling and get a move on. You know what Miss Frink said about you being late." "Don't worry, Mom," said Daisy, kissing her on the cheek and skipping out of the back door. "Daisy Dawson is on her way!" Daisy wandered down the lane, listening to the bees buzz and the swallows sing. Apart from a few bumpy white clouds here and there, the sky was clean and empty. With the sun warming her face, Daisy leaned on the gate and gazed at the old tumbledown barn. "Boom!" she called. "I've brought you some breakfast!" There was a scrabbling sound from inside the barn, and a large bloodhound poked its head through a hole in the wall. "Morning, Daisy," he said. "You're bright and early." "Well I was," replied Daisy as Boom lumbered toward her. "But I got involved in a photo shoot, so . . ." It was only a few weeks since Daisy's encounter with the magical yellow butterfly, but she was already so used to talking to animals that it didn't seem the least bit strange to her. In fact, it would have seemed stranger if she'd suddenly discovered she couldn't talk to them. "A photo shoot?" asked Boom. "What's that?" "I got a new camera for my birthday, and I've been taking photos with it," s Excerpted from Daisy Dawson and the Secret Pond by Steve Voake All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.