That's What Friends Are For

Tugg and Teeny #2

by J. Patrick Lewis, Christopher Denise

Meet Tugg and Teeny. Best friends since... well, forever! Tugg, a gorilla, and Teeny, a monkey, live together in their jungle neighborhood, Sidekick Thicket. As opposite as night and day, the two friends work and play together, each helping the other face life's challenges. That's What Friends Are For is a trio of stories that has Teeny helping hippo Margie Barge learn self-acceptance, finding a substitute horn for Rocko Rhino, and hosting a neighborhood picnic. All with the help of her best friend, Tugg. Engagingly written by Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis, this beginning reader series is charmingly brought to life by Redwall artist Christopher Denise.

Genres: Fiction, Picture Books, Friendship, Short Stories, Childrens

37 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2012

About the author

J. Patrick Lewis is the current Children's Poet Laureate. He has written more than seventy children's books, including Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses. J. Patrick Lewis lives in Ohio.

Reviews

[Diana Pettis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Xander and I read this book tonight for his nightly reading. I liked this story because it is a good transitional reader for children wanting to read chapter books.

Guided Reading Level: L
Grade Level 2/3
Word Count: 1150 words

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tugg the gorilla and Teeny the monkey are best friends who live together in Sidekick Thicket. In this collection of short stories they help Margie Barge the hippopotamus feel better about herself, and introduce her to a new friend. They also help Rocko Rhino locate his lost horn, and finally they invite all their jungle friends to a potluck to celebrate Good Neighbor Day.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tugg and Teeny live in the jungle, where friends like Margie Barge (a hippopotamus) and Rocko Rhino (a rhinoceros) rely on them to help solve their problems. With kindness and good humor, the two friends help Margie gain confidence in her appearance, help Rocko find his missing horn, and organize a potluck for Good Neighbor Day.

I enjoy J. Patrick Lewis’s poetry, and every time I read a Tugg and Teeny book, it surprises me how different his prose is from his poems. There is nothing really wrong with the way he writes prose, but these stories are not as memorable or as quotable as his poems in books like Please Bury Me in the Library and Spot the Plot. In this particular book, I was puzzled by the storyline about the hippo who feels fat until a male hippo notices her (do kids really relate to that?), and disappointed by the predictable story wherein the rhino can’t find his nose because he’s sitting on it (I knew where it was right away.) I also cringed every time Tugg referred to Teeny as “Monkeyface.”

This book promotes good citizenship, which will please parents and teachers, but it feels like it’s missing the magic that makes other series about other pairs of best friends so enjoyable. There are attempts at humor, but they feel forced, and I don’t feel as though I really understand the dynamic between the two friends because they’re always interacting with secondary characters instead of just with each other. For me, this book was really just okay, and it doesn’t bother me that my library doesn’t purchase this series.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very small chapter book for 2nd and 3rd grade reading level students. This book is perfect for readers who may be a bit reluctant to start reading those large "chapter books" that teachers would like them to start reading around those grades.

Cute story, bright colors, likable characters.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread... Liked the stories in this one better than book 2. Good for friendship discussions. Three short stories for beginning readers. Tugg and Teeny and many more favorite characters.

[ReAnna Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short and easy to read chapter book. It has cute stories about perseverance and supporting your friends goals and ambitions.