Beaver is Lost by Elisha Cooper Ages 2-5 40 pages Schwartz & Wade June 2010 Hardcover     Beaver is whisked away from his dam and into the city when he hops onto a log travelling down the river. Although he isn’t welcome in the lumber yard, a dog chases him onto a path towards home. Long horizontal panels allow for panoramic views of summer along the riverbank, and changing perspectives bring your eyes down to street level or face-to-face with Beaver. The realistic illustrations, rendered in watercolor and pencil, are soft in tone and reflect the energy of an animal desperate to return home. This picture book only has four words, but preschoolers can add more narration by explaining what they see on Beaver’s journey. There are instances where Beaver might be having fun ( his swim in a fountain and his encounter with a zoo beaver), but this story makes it clear that a beaver is happiest at home in his natural environment. A graduate of Yale, Elisha Cooper is the author of several children’s books including Dance!, Magic Thinks Big and Ice Cream. He lives in New York City with his family.     web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2010 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)