Trouble Finds Plum!

September 15, 2023
A peacock's kindheartedness and cleverness prove immune to cynicism. Undaunted by rain, peppy Plum is the only zoo inhabitant around when a bedraggled raccoon shows up. Plum's ordered to bring food--pronto. All that he can find is a snack bar that a visitor dropped in the tiger pit, and he cleverly obtains it for the raccoon. Despite others' doubts that the raccoon is really Plum's friend, the trusting bird just wants to help. Then more raccoons show up, and Plum seeks help. Peahen Meg scorns raccoons as "scavengers and thieves" and gives them a dressing-down, but that doesn't dissuade the interlopers. Text and illustrations make clear that the peacocks are at a disadvantage, both in terms of size and number. Power makes the raccoons hungry for more, and their rudeness becomes bullying. But with help from Itch the ningbing, Jeremy the cat, and, naturally, Plum, "brains and heart" eventually save the day. A couple of wordless stretches of sketches provide a visual break, but many smaller vignettes add to the drama of the story and bolster the characterization (and add evidence that not all raccoons are alike). Pacing is smooth, and the plot moves smartly. Like other series installments, this tale demands and develops a certain level of reader sophistication to see through the sarcasm, assumptions, and bluster. Expert plot and character development take this latest in the series up a notch. (Chapter book. 7-10)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2023
Plum, a "peppy little purple peacock" at the Athensville Zoo, is the only animal in his enclosure one rainy day when Scratch, a bossy, greedy raccoon, and his gang invade the zoo. The subsequent chaos disrupts what had been a bucolic home. Plum and his friends -- including a domestic cat named Jeremy, a ningbing named Itch, a family of chipmunks, and a bear who lives in the nearby woods -- work together to solve the problem. The comic sequel to Leave It to Plum! (rev. 9/22) is heavily illustrated with Phelan's movement-filled black-and-white drawings. Plum sports expressive curly feathers that stand at attention when he is happy but crumple when Scratch is demanding something. At important points in the story, wordless spreads convey the drama of the moment. As he did in the previous book, Phelan weaves ideas important to elementary-school students through the story. Plum accomplishes his goal by working with others; Scratch realizes that family can be made from those who care about you, even if they are not the same species; and all the zoo animals learn about leadership and problem-solving. Maeve Visser Knoth

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2023
Grades 3-6 Plucky peacock Plum is back with another entertaining installment that has him facing his highest-stakes situation yet. On a quiet day at Athensville Zoo, Plum is thrilled by an unexpected visit from a raccoon named Scratch. Though Plum hopes to make a new friend, it's clear that the nefarious mammal means to take over the zoo and establish a raccoon resort for himself and his henchmen. When the diplomatic approach fails, the zoo animals realize they might need a former evil genius to fight the new one, so Itch the ningbing, reformed nemesis, is tapped to scheme a solution. A scary showdown seems inevitable, and it will take all of Plum's creativity and positivity to save his home. It's a delight to drop back into this wacky zoo world and become reacquainted with the comical cast of critters, from an elephant shrew to a capybara. The brisk pace, witty wisecracks, and humorous illustrations easily retain attention, and Plum's eternal optimism and perpetual enthusiasm are contagious. A warm and welcome addition to an already charming series.

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