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CM . . .
. Volume IX Number 8. . . . December 13, 2002
excerpt: It was the launch of the river tour and Dorothy awoke at dawn. She hauled costumes, ropes and scenery down to the raft, or floating stage, as Sadie called it. She packed her accordion last. For her part, Sadie spent the morning deciding which necklaces to take and which type of sandwiches to pack just in case she got a bit peckish along the way. And she made a banner, of course. This day starts like many do for these sisters. As they get ready for their river concert tour, Dorothy is doing all the hard work, and her sister, Sadie, is completing the credit grabbing details. Dorothy is hauling luggage and loading the raft. Sadie is choosing which jewelry and sandwiches to bring. Of course, Sadie does make the banner that headlines her and merely mentions Dorothy and her accordion in a tiny corner. Even though Sadie's behavior can be trying at times, Dorothy is able keep her sense of humor throughout the trip. In a typical division of labour as the sisters start their journey down river, Dorothy steers the raft and Sadie lounges in the sun. Numerous problems crop up for the musical duo along the way. Dorothy saves the day many times with her calm levelheaded problem solving. The concert is a success, and Sadie wows the audience. Afterwards, as the sisters watch the stars twinkling in the night sky, Sadie realizes that she does need Dorothy. With the author's help, the reader comes to the conclusion that these sisters need each other. Many siblings will be able to sympathize with Dorothy's situation. Sibling relationships are rarely smooth sailing, but in the end, much like these sisters, we realize we need each other. Author/illustrator Chris Jackson's dialogue is humourous. This is an amusing tale, and the main characters are geese who appear quite comical. Jackson uses soft colours to illustrate this journey. The end pages do a great job of showing the reader a lively map of Dorothy and Sadie's trip. Most of the illustrations throughout this book are full two page spreads. My favourite illustration is of the sisters' patient audience waiting for the concert to begin. The Gaggle Sisters River Tour is a recommended purchase for classroom collections and public libraries. Independent readers will find it an amusing tale. Recommended. As the result of an exciting move, Catherine Hoyt is now the Reference Librarian at the Nunavut Legislative Library in Iqaluit, Nunavut. However, she enjoys volunteering at the local public library in the newest capital in Canada.
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