Susan Patron reviews

Susan Patron Bobbin Dustdobbin; illustrated by Mike Shenon
    Jackson/Orchard Books/Watts
    Reviewed 3/94
The heroes of Five Bad Boys, Billy Que, and the Dustdobbin (Orchard) return to continue the saga of the Dustdobbins, the small dust creatures that reside under Billy Que’s bed. The story of harmonious living between humans and their dust is clever and very funny, and Shenon’s lively watercolors create just the right casual atmosphere for a story as relaxed as Billy Que’s housecleaning. M.V.K.

Susan Patron Burgoo Stew retold by Susan Patron; illustrated by Mike Shenon
    32 pp. Orchard Books/Watts/A Richard Jackson Book
    Reviewed 9/91
In a new retelling of the folk tale “Stone Soup,” a “crowd of five rowdy bad boys” decides to steal some food from old Billy Que. He inveigles them into contributing meat and vegetables to his concoction, “‘Burgoo Stew! Made from practically nothing, plus a special magic secret ingredient!’” The large, humorous, boldly colored watercolors and the rhythmic text, peppered with down-home phrases, make the book a natural choice for group sharing. A fresh and welcome interpretation of a much-loved story. E.F.

Susan Patron Dark Cloud Strong Breeze; illustrated by Peter Catalanotto
    32 pp. Jackson/Orchard Books/Watts 3/94
    Reviewed 5/94
In this rhyming circular tale a quick-thinking little girl comes to her father’s rescue when they return from shopping to discover that he has locked the keys inside the car. She runs across the street to a locksmith, who agrees to help, “clicka-me clong / ‘If you get me a guard, both brave and strong.’” Thereupon the girl asks a dog, who leads her to a grocer, then to a cat, and finally to a butterfly. Reversing her steps, she satisfies each request until the locksmith opens the car door. Once home, father fumbles for his house keys, but his resourceful daughter proudly produces her own, hanging from a chain around her neck. The jingle is catchy; allusions to a hovering storm adding a mite more tension to the slight narrative line; but it is Catalanotto’s paintings that really capture attention. The expressive features of the little girl and the befuddled look of the helpless dad as he presses his nose to the car window have the winsome informality of subjects caught off-guard in candid snapshots. An unusual three-dimensional effect is achieved by superimposing large inset pictures that portray action in full color over a background painted in subtle gray tones. An enticing read-aloud for preschool story hour. N.V.

Susan Patron Five Bad Boys, Billy Que, and the Dustdobbin; illustrated by Mike Shenon
    32 pp. Jackson/Orchard Books/Watts
    Reviewed 1/93
Billy Que, whom the reader may remember meeting in Burgoo Stew (Orchard), has landed himself in serious trouble by stepping on the toes of a linty dustdobbin who lives under his bed. Billy Que, who is “tetchy and peevish” in the morning, gives the dustdobbin the free advice that “‘small folk should be more particular where they stand.’” To teach him to be more careful where he puts his big feet, the furious dustdobbin shrinks Billy to the size of a soup spoon. The only way Billy can get back to his “true and natural size” is by receiving five gifts—as freely given as was his advice. At this low point, enter “five rowdy bad boys…cross-grained and hardheaded and looking for trouble,” and, of course, Billy’s order to “scram” sets them to do just the opposite. Each of the stubborn boys gives Billy Que something, and, with the fifth gift, Billy Que returns to his old, but more careful, self and makes breakfast for everyone. The language, full of sly humor, and the large, comical illustrations make this an original and satisfying story to share. H.B.Z.

Susan Patron The Higher Power of Lucky; illustrated by Matt Phelan
     136 pp. Jackson/Atheneum
     Reviewed 1/07
Ten-year-old Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California, a tiny enclave on the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. Her legal guardian is beautiful, melancholy Frenchwoman Brigitte, the first wife of Lucky’s absentee father. Lucky is one of few people in her community of forty-three to have a paying job in town, cleaning up after various “Anonymous” meetings held at the Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center. As she eavesdrops on the participants’ stories of redemption, she wonders how to find her own “higher power.” When Lucky becomes convinced that Brigitte is planning to go back to France, her cathartic running-away into a desert windstorm allows her to come to terms with her mother’s death, as well as prove to herself a compassion she’s afraid she lacks. Author Patron’s tale of a grieving, insecure little girl is never heavyhanded or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor. Quirky supporting characters include future presidential hopeful and knot artist Lincoln Clinton Carter Kennedy, Lucky’s best friend; and recovering alcoholic/hippie/cowboy Short Sammy. The book’s brief chapters reflect the cyclical, episodic nature of life in Hard Pan, while meandering yet meticulously crafted sentences illustrate Lucky’s natural curiosity and the importance of storytelling in her life. Patron’s sensory descriptions of Hard Pan and the surrounding desert, supported by Phelan’s gentle spot art, animate this unique community. E.R.G.

Susan Patron Maybe Yes, Maybe No, Maybe Maybe; illustrated by Dorothy Donahue
    87 pp. Jackson/Orchard Books/Watts
    Reviewed 7/93
PK is stuck “like the inside of a sticky sandwich” between older sister Megan, a gifted preteen afflicted with hormones, and a younger sister Rabbit, whose insatiable curiosity PK attempts to satisfy with made-up answers when she doesn’t know the real ones. PK is good at making things up since it is her job to help Rabbit with her evening bath by telling her stories that PK “finds” in the bathroom hamper. Their mother works evenings as a waitress, and these precocious sisters are responsible for looking after one another, something they accomplish with care and creativity, and only a bit of squabbling—this is a single-parent family that functions quite well. When they have to move, the upheaval proves stressful to everyone, but the first night in their new apartment finds the whole family huddled around the tub at bath time, anticipating the comfortable reassurance of one of PK’s stories. It is the author’s distinctive voice and characters rather than the plot that drive this engaging novel. The familiar themes of being the middle child, of dealing with change, are given an unusual slant by this eccentric family. PK’s concerns about her pitifully meager “Life Experience,” Rabbit’s worries about kindergarten, and Megan’s preoccupation with her image are recognizable through the sophisticated packaging. With its easy vocabulary, large type, and scattered full-page wash paintings, the book seems designed for those new to chapter books, but the story will probably be best appreciated by gifted students who will find themselves mirrored in the characters they meet on these pages. N.V.

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