THE TERRAKEET

What’s a creature with an undeserved bad rap to do?

The Finlocks, a peaceful, pink-skinned, island-dwelling family, spend their time “lomfing” (lounging) and fishing, cooking, and eating “fronds” (little fish). Content with their predictable lifestyle, they never leave home and hope never to encounter the terrifying Terrakeet, an enormous, feathered, fanged beast—whom they’ve never seen but who’s purported to “feast on morgish treats of meat and bones,” after which he roars. (Kids will appreciate this sound, which resounds over several pages in huge black capitals.) One day, when no fronds can be caught, the youngest Finlock leaves home and smells something. Emerging from the woods, he sees the Terrakeet cooking! Bees suddenly swarm the beast, who weeps with fear. Fortunately, the bees, disliking the Terrakeet’s fire, fly off, allowing the pair to meet. The Terrakeet invites the child to dine. The boy is amazed by his host’s congeniality; this creature isn’t frightening at all. Back home, he tells his family “not to say bad things about the Terrakeet,” his new friend. This entertaining Australian import, expressed in peppy rhymes, incorporates several humorous invented words, reminiscent of Lewis Carroll’s work; one actually is Carroll’s—galumphing, from “Jabberwocky.” The book offers a good takeaway: Get acquainted with people before believing negative things said about them by others, who may not even know them. The appealing watercolor-and-ink illustrations combine humor, charm, and pathos. (This review was updated to correct the illustrator's name.)

A lighthearted tale with an important, pointed message.