Beegu

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Beegu is not supposed to be on Earth. She is lost. She is a friendly little creature, but the Earth People don't seem very welcoming at all. However, so far she has only met the BIG ones. The little ones are a different matter . . .

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Beegu, a winsome, banana-yellow alien with floppy ears that trail on the ground, crash-lands on earth and sets off in search of her mother. Deacon's (Slow Loris) simple text follows Beegu on her wanderings; skillful pacing incorporates full-bleed spreads plus panel and spot illustrations, and the artwork emphasizes the dolefulness of earth, the city's gray gutters and stark fences. Beegu snuggles with a litter of puppies and joins a schoolyard full of children at recess, but the dog-shelter owner and a forbidding primary school teacher put an end to her short-lived fun. A desolate illustration depicts Beegu alone, stretched out under the night sky. When her parents come at last to rescue her, beaming up Beegu to their spaceship in a bath of green light, she tells them of her adventure (expressed as a word balloon filled with exotic-looking hieroglyphics). "Earth creatures were mostly big and unfriendly," Beegu tells them, "but there were some small ones who seemed hopeful." She gazes wistfully out the spaceship window at the receding earth: "Beegu would always remember those small ones." Beegu's black outline and solid yellow center evoke a celestial simplicity, and affectingly contrast with the solidly inked, earthbound human figures. The accomplished artwork underscores the children's easy acceptance of Beegu and highlights the book's uplifting message that acts of kindness have lasting effects. Ages 3-6. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2-Children will sympathize with Beegu, a cuddly, yellow extraterrestrial, when her spaceship crashes and strands her far from home. While looking for some friends, the lost alien thinks she hears her mother calling and is led into a big city where, instead, she finds a box of puppies that welcome her; she curls up with them to sleep. Then a man from the stray dog shelter finds her in the box and turns her out. Forced to continue her sad journey, Beegu comes upon a playground filled with happy children and joins them in play until another adult rejects her, sending her out once more to wander in the strange world. Finally, her parents arrive to rescue her and she tells them of her experiences, speaking fondly of the small Earth creatures who were so friendly and full of hope. The quirky, economical illustrations aptly reflect the lonely mood of this touching story. Beegu, with her floppy ears and three little eyes, is an appealing character who conveys a message about the importance of accepting those who are different and of remaining hopeful.-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

PreS-Gr. 1. This book's raison d'etre is an endearing yellow alien named Beegu, who resembles a cross between a stuffed bunny and a three-eyed toddler in footie pajamas. Marooned on Earth after her flying saucer crashes, Beegu searches for help, her earlike appendages drooping in disappointment each time an unsympathetic adult sends her packing. At last she stumbles onto a playground, where welcoming children give her a hula hoop as a souvenir, and, more importantly, a positive impression of Earthlings to share with her parents when they finally return and beam her up for a joyful hug. Few words are used or needed, thanks to Deacon's clear visual storytelling: the way the textured, earth-toned backgrounds set off Beegu's bright-yellow form conveys her isolation more strongly than words. Beegu's experiences send a rather facile message about the sweetness of children versus the jaded self-absorption of grown-ups (Earth creatures were mostly big and unfriendly, but there were some small ones who seemed hopeful ), but this drama of parental loss and reunion will resonate nonetheless. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2003 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Stranded on earth, Beegu, a little yellow three-eyed alien, searches for friends. Rejected at every turn, she is at last welcomed by a group of children playing in a schoolyard, and then is reunited with her parents. The text is a little messagey, but the pictures are sublime. A heady mix of Gary Larson and early Sendak, they convey Beegu's strong emotions without sentimentality. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.