Review of RACCOON'S LAST RACE

Bibliography:

Bruhac, Joseph and James Bruhac. 2004. Raccoon’s last race. Illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 083729974

Review:

Azban the Raccoon, “the fastest of all animals,” was boastful and taunted bear, fox, rabbit and the other animals when they raced him. Soon the animals refuse to speak to him, so Azban looks for someone else to “challenge . . . to a race”, settling on grandfather rock. Although grandfather rock cannot move, Azban pushes him down the hill. As the raccoon turns to taunt his opponent, he trips, falls, and is flattened by the rock. None of the animals stops to help him, but an ant offers to “pull (Azban) back into shape” in return for the promise of friendship. The raccoon agrees, but as soon as he can move, he shakes the ants off and walks away only to realize his legs are very short. Now that he has broken his promise, the raccoon has to “accept being the short, squatty animal he is today.” In Raccoon’s Last Race, Joseph and James Bruhac retell a humorous Abenaki tale of what happens when people brag and break promises. In the authors’ notes, Joseph Bruhac states that the Abenaki have a “strong tradition of using stories rather than physical punishment as a means of disciplining children.” Raccoon’s Last Race reflects this tradition. The Native American trickster tale is entertaining, but, at the story’s conclusion, even the youngest child will learn that being boastful and breaking promises are not good traits to possess. Readers of all ages will enjoy the action-filled tale, and, even though they probably shouldn’t, they will laugh out loud as rock, who “had never been traveling before . . .(and) didn’t know how to stop”, flattens Azban. The illustrations, a combination of pen and ink, gouache, and pastel, are vibrant and complement the story. The illustrators capture the action, whether it is the “zip zip!” of the races or the movement of thousands of ants “working together” to put Azban back in to shape. And, together with the authors, have preserved a wonderful Abenaki trickster tale for all to enjoy.