Maggee and the Lake Minder

Caroline M. Hallsworth is a librarian at Cambrian College in Sudbury.

Hearing singing, Maggee is drawn to a house on the lakeshore. There, she
meets The Bird and Kawartha, a frog whose job it is to mind the lake and
to ensure that the drain in the lake doesn’t become plugged. Maggee
and Kawartha embark on an impromptu talent contest that soon spirals
into a competition. They get so carried away that Kawartha forgets to
check the lake, which begins to overflow. Maggie and The Bird are forced
to unplug the lake and negotiate new visiting rules with Kawartha so
that he does not forget his responsibilities.

This book’s text is rather flat, and, while the story has great
potential and some wonderful, ludicrous moments, it never quite comes to
life. The story line is appropriate to the four- to seven-year age
range, yet the story does not read well out loud.

Illustrator Fernandes has created some whimsical artwork. Kawartha,
whose dappled legs are topped by knickers and who sports a bow tie, is
particularly engaging. Fernandes makes great use of detail in her art,
which, when combined with large amounts of text and more than one
ancillary drawing, results in a sometimes distracting layout.