I discovered author and illustrator Bill Peet this winter when Tanya Arnold of Biblioguides suggested that I look at his books. It has been a few years since I was collecting and researching picture books, and somehow I had never heard of him before. I have read three of his books and have short reviews for each below. As I read others, I will update this list. As my reviews will indicate, I think Kermit the Hermit is a gem worth searching out. I think The Ant and the Elephant has a certain charm. And I think Big Bad Bruce has some things that are worth noting. One thing I like about Bill Peet’s books is that they are in print and readily accessible. It is likely that your public library or private lending library may have some of his books available. 

Kermit the Hermit

This charming story is special. Kermit the Hermit is a hermit crab who is a bit greedy and selfish. When a dog finds him on the beach, the dog digs a hole and plans to bury Kermit. However, a little boy chastises his dog and frees Kermit, returning him to the sea. Kermit’s heart is touched by the selfless act of the boy, and he vows to repay the boy in some meaningful way. How he does that is so interesting and fun to read. And needless to say, Kermit’s heart is changed, and he is no longer greedy nor selfish.

I really appreciate Peet’s illustrative style in all of the books I have read. The story in this one is particularly winning. Told in A-B style rhyme, Peet’s use of big and complex words that rhyme is impressive. This book is fun to read aloud because it sounds so good but also tells a story worth hearing. This one is sweet and charming. 

The Ant and the Elephant

This twist on a fable is thought-provoking. Believe it or not, I read it aloud to my teenagers, and they all enjoyed it but had strong reactions to the ending. I think this is a book worth seeking if you can do so without much trouble or expense. 

In this story, an ant is caught on a branch in the middle of a river. The turtle is selfish and will not help because he doesn’t want to go to the trouble. When the turtle gets knocked over, a hornbill looking on will not help because he cannot repay her anything. And when the hornbill loses an egg out of her nest, no one wants to help her either. And so on and so on. One by one, the animals in the jungle refuse to help a smaller animal in need and then find themselves abandoned by bigger animals when they are in trouble. All until the elephant comes along. The elephant joyfully helps each animal even though they are rude and ungrateful in response. All except for the ant. The ant thanks the elephant, who replies that it was nothing at all. The ant wisely says that it was everything to him. When the elephant finds itself in trouble, it is the ant who comes to his aid. 

Part of the charm of Kermit is that it feels timeless. The Ant and the Elephant should feel timeless, but the writing sounds modern and slightly less lovely than in Kermit. 

As with Kermit, I appreciate the colored pencil illustration. That part does feel timeless and inviting. Different from Kermit, this one is not told in rhyme. Instead, it is told in typical picture book prose, but in it, Peet uses the most delicious words for sounds. These words feel good in the mouth when reading aloud: zump, blump, Heave-ho! Up you go!

My teens were not impressed with the animals in the jungle who failed to help someone who could do nothing for them. They were disgusted by the animals who were ungrateful when the elephant did help them. And while they were impressed with the ant, they felt like the story was disappointing because there was no conversion of the other animals. I think this book can be good for discussion. The reality is that much of the world can be like this. It was a good opportunity to talk about the nobility of the elephant for helping those who cannot repay the favor. And it was important to note that the ant responds correctly when the elephant helps him. But more than that, when it was in the ant’s power to repay the favor, he did so in a big way. That’s another good life lesson. 

Big Bad Bruce

Of the Peet books I have read, this is my least favorite.

As with The Ant and the Elephant, this one is told in modern picture book prose. Bruce, a big brown bear, is a troublemaker. He loves nothing more than to throw big boulders and stones down the hills and at the rabbits and quail and anything else that will be scared of him. He laughs at the misery of others. The animals in the forest have no recourse against Bruce. 

One day Bruce throws a boulder into a blueberry patch while a witch and her cat pick blueberries. The witch loses her temper and goes home to make a potion to teach the bear a lesson: she bakes him a blueberry pie that is filled with ingredients that will make him shrink to the size of a squirrel. 

When Bruce has eaten the pie and awakens from his nap, he finds that the animals of the forest are now bigger than he is, and they get even with him. Ultimately, the witch rescues Bruce before an owl can eat him. She brings Bruce home with her and turns him into a pet. Instead of returning him to his normal size, however, the witch keeps him just as he is. And now, he does the same things he used to do, just on a smaller scale. He runs around the tall grasses and throws pebbles at the grasshoppers. 

There are things about the story that are cute, but overall, I didn’t care for it. This one I am discarding from my library.