When the green-eyed monster bites

When Randolph Turned Rotten
by Charise Mericle Harper

Alfred A. Knopf

If the green-eyed monster never bites your kids, check them for a pulse. Especially this time of year, the jealousy hits hard. Having a story show how envy can wreak havoc--short of Othello-like disaster--is a pretty good idea, like an emotional band-aid when the owies are on the inside.

Randolph, a beaver, shares a city apartment with best friend Ivy, a goose. Trouble comes in the mail when Ivy gets invited to an all-girl slumber party at her cousin's beach house. Randolph goes through the various stages of jealousy, from annoyance to loneliness to festering resentment.

When Randolph decides to sabotage Ivy's good time, we're in for some sudden plot twists as it veers between his crazy ideas, remorse and Ivy's hapless misadventures at the party. Harper's good humor and those nutty geese keep things from veering into mawkish sentiment, and we never stop rooting for Randolph to work out his rivalry issues.

And while I normally don't quote press releases, Harper's blurb says she's "Randolph down to my very core." Aren't we all?

Rating: *\*\*\

Comments

[Jen Robinson]

I just gave this book to an almost five-year-old young friend, and it was a huge hit. Her older brother kept stealing peeks, too, even though he was supposedly reading his own chapter book at the time. Fun stuff!

[Anne]

I really think this has a great message, and it doesn't get in the way of the story too. Glad your little friend liked it!