Clark the Mountain Beaver has spent his life living quietly in his burrow. He has been shy and usually only ventures out at night, but one day he decides that he will have an adventure and will leave the burrow during the day, when most of the other critters are around him.
What follows in Karen Shea’s new book, Clark the Mountain Beaver and His Big Adventure, is page after page of beautiful illustrations as Clark discovers not only what the outside world is all about, but educates his new friends about it. what is a mountain beaver You see, Clark is constantly mistaken for the more popular American beaver, even though he doesn’t have the long tail and is much smaller than his famous namesake, plus he lives underground in a den instead of building a cabin.
But despite any mistaken identity he experiences on his adventure, Clark discovers that the world is full of fascinating creatures, most of which are very friendly. Just a few of those friends include a mother deer and hers two fawns of hers and a busy family of squirrels. The ducks, Mr. and Mrs. Quacker, are a fun married couple, and then there’s Stella, Steller’s Jay, who LOVES peanuts. Only the humans’ dog, Bridger, seems to pose a threat, though Clark is also a little unsure about Hep, a bald eagle, when he first meets her, but he quickly wins Hep over by asking if they can be friends, then explaining that friends do not eat each other.
Author Karen Shea promises parents that the story will “bring your son to Clark’s side as he learns about friendship, trust, and understanding that it’s okay to be who he is.” That lesson is clear throughout the book, but especially when Clark meets his latest friend, Lewis the American beaver. Both are stunned to meet the other, and they quickly form a bond.
As a bonus, Shea points out that it’s no coincidence that Clark and Lewis are named after famous explorers. In fact, the Lewis & Clark expedition was responsible for misnaming the mountain beaver a beaver. Shea gives a little history lesson about the expedition at the end of the book, complete with a map of the journey. She also includes facts about mountain beavers and a special page for children to record the various creatures they discover in their own backyard.
This book is sure to turn your child into a curious naturalist and animal lover. Kelly Halpin’s beautiful illustrations are worthy of a Disney cartoon. A coloring book, Clark the Mountain Beaver and his new friends! it is also available on the book’s website. I think even those famous explorers would have enjoyed this colorful page-turning adventure.