"At the end of the garden,next to the berries,lived Mary and Gary and Terry and Sherry…and Arlo."Arlo, with his bespectacled eyes, sees that there is more to a pea’s life than being someone’s lunch. Rolling through the garden he is able to avoid being consumed in the wild world around him. He continues looking for his purpose in life. At last after a long rest he grows up and discovers what he was meant to be.Arlo Rolled has a timeless, inspiring message, that children can take to heart: keep your eyes open, look to the future, and be the best that you can be.The text placement, choice of font, and the green dashed line all cleverly illustrate the movement of Arlo rolling through the gardenThe illustrations are full of whimsical details such as a weather vane depicting a delivery man being chased by a dog and a large frog eyeing a delicious dragonfly. Friendly faces on flora and fauna alike leave the reader wondering where the danger lies. Various perspectives show us the world as a pea would see it while hanging from a vine, jumping from a peapod, and rolling high and low through a garden full of activity.If you like Arlo Rolled then try Clara Caterpillar by Pamela Duncan Edwards, another story about finding your worth in a world where everyone is different and has their own gifts. Great book in time for Spring! I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. My boys and I enjoyed reading this rhyming story about a pea who wants more out of life than to simply be someone's dinner. Arlo travels along a fast-paced adventure through the garden, avoiding the obstacles he encounters on his path to find out what he will grow up to be. This was a great lesson for my kids in biology, as Arlo grows to have pea pods of his own in the circle of life, as well as lessons in determination and individualism, as Arlo sets out to forge his own way, one which differs from the other peas in his pod.
What do You think about Arlo Rolled (2014)?
I am always looking for a good veggie/garden book for storytime and this fits the bill.
—Rima
Adventuring pea turns into a great pea pod dad. Rolling text fun to read.
—Beara
