Five Busy Beavers

by Stella Partheniou Grasso, Christine Battuz (Illustrator)

Join five little beavers and their playful friends in this countdown to fun!
Five busy beavers building up a dam,
closing up the river where the salmon swam.
Gnawing down trees and ferrying the logs.
Slapping on the mud that they gathered from the bog.
Along came a muskrat who wanted to play,
and one little beaver swam away.
A catchy rhyme counts down from five until there is only one hardworking beaver left. The others disappeared one by one, called away to play by their animal friends —a muskrat, a heron, a frog and a turtle. When the fifth tired beaver finally heads back to the lodge he finds a big surprise!
The bouncy story is rounded out with a facts page at the back, along with information about each animal featured in the book.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Animals, Storytime, Childrens, Nature, Canada

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2015

About the author

Stella Partheniou Grasso grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario where she was a regular patron of the Niagara Falls Public Library (Victoria and Stamford branches). Her collection of library cards has grown over the years and she boasts having cards from public libraries in Peterborough, Toronto, Haliburton County, Ajax and Oshawa. She loves Canadian children's literature and is happy to share her favourites with a new generation of readers. She is the author of: 101 Creepy Canadian Jokes, illustrated by Bill Dickson; Over at the Rink: A Hockey Counting Book, illustrated by Scot Ritchie; There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Puck, illustrated by Scot Ritchie; and Five Busy Beavers, illustrated by Christine Battuz. Five Busy Beavers is also available in French as Cinq joyeux castors.

Reviews

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming read from the library's Preschool Storytime.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My four-year-old enjoyed this enough for several re-reads but I found it a bit meh.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think everyone's who's every done a storytime is familiar with the "Five Little" phenomenon. In this case we have Five Busy Beavers, who one by one abandon their dam project to go play elsewhere, leaving one lone beaver to finish the job. Unlike most of the "Five Little" rhymes, however, this one doesn't just trail off at the end, with no beavers and no clear conclusion. Instead, the story returns to the four beavers who left to play, and we find that they have been preparing a party for the lone worker beaver. Not exactly fair, but an attempt at amends.

Bonus: additional animal facts at the back of the book give this some added oomph. These are the animals that entice the beavers away from the dam.

[A Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rhyming book where the beavers one-by-one go off to play instead of working. In the end the beavers "make amends" by throwing a surprise party of sorts for the last beaver left working. The book introduces a muskrat, a heron, a group of chorus frogs, a Blanding's turtle, and a firefly; then at the end of the book the author has included a bit more information about each of these critters. This book is less informative than others included in my beaver lesson plan and it is not my personal favorite, but would definitely be the best choice for a group of students that enjoy rhyming books most! I would not buy a copy of this book, but I would rent it from the public library again.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modeled on the rhyming scheme from Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, this book expolres the story of five beavers who are working diligently on their dame only to be distracted (one-by-one) by their friends (other animals) in the woods. When the last beaver heads home for the day to their lodge, she finds a big surprise.

This was such a fun little read. I love the writing, and the illustrations are so cute. In fact, the illustrations are what really got me interested. This was certainly a great way to explore counting with little ones in the form of a story.

[Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another version of 5 little ducks, just with beavers. Beavers all abandon one beaver to do all the work, but, then throw him a surprise party to apologize for leaving him. If I was that one beaver left with all the work, I don't think I would have thanked them for the surprise party.. lol

Cute illustrations, if you have a kid obsessed with that song, it can be a good variation on it. I don't know if it's actually singable, but rhyme is pretty similar.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet picture book about 5 busy beavers who get distracted and run away one at a time until the last one finishes their lodge. Of course everyone comes back to see what a great home they have now! Great introduction to beaver habitat and other animals who live near beavers. I read it to 1st graders and the loved it. Kindergarten and preschool would be happy with this book too. Great preparation for a nature center we are visiting next week.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyme starts with five busy beavers, but as more animals arrive to play the numbers dwindle down to only one busy beaver left to do all the work. Eventually, the other beavers arrive with their new friends and they all have a party at the dam. Back-matter discusses what types of animals can be found near a beaver dam.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five beavers are busy working on a dam, and over the course of the day, four of them are lured away to play by other animal friends. The one remaining beaver finishes up the work and heads home by the light of a firefly - tired - to find that the other beavers and their friends have been planning a welcome home surprise party for him. Perfect end to a long day!

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very attractive art, good idea, but: the rhymes are herky jerky and make this impossible to read.
I believe that this is patterned on "One elephant went out to play..." and it just doesn't scan correctly.
The editor (are there still editors?" was clearly out cooing over some other book the day this one went to press, or is tone deaf, or doesn't try reading books like this out loud. I do.

[Tompkins County Public Library Youth Services]

Just looking at the cover, I knew I was going to like it. I loved it so much my I turned it into a felt board book! Follow these busy builders through a beaver’s day and you will become an avid admirer if you aren’t one already! Learn about what beavers do while experiencing a darn cute story about what it means to be friends. And it all rhymes

[Melissa - KnotSewScribbly.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute rhyming book that reinforces counting and simple math. Though it didn't capture my toddlers attention until the surprise at the end. Then, they requested that I read it again! They did stay attentive the second time through.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for counting. I gave it a four because I, personally, don't care much for the illustrations. Not only is it a good book for teaching counting, it would be appropriate for science and nature in teaching about habitats, particularly fresh water.

[Courtney Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I would use for younger readers so they can learn about different kinds of animals while working on their reading. This is a book that would most likely need to be read to them because of the language, but a book that I believe they would be very interested in.

[Sue Mosher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book with lots of vocabulary-expanding words and a surprise ending.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five busy beavers leave, one by one, until one little beaver has to get the job done all by themselves. But the missing beaver friends have a surprise planned.

[Casandria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be less educational and more complicated than it wanted to be... The rhyme is fine but nothing you could really use for storytime.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

The rhyme is clunky and I found the story too complicated.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a picture book, this one fits the bill. It has counting, rhyming, a fun story and good illustrations.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures and the "Life in a Beaver Pond" bit at the end are what made this book for me. I had trouble following along for the rest of the book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but my son didn’t. He kept trying to get away to play. I liked the counting down, and I especially liked what the four beavers that went away did in the end.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly fun and informative!

[Caren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beavers and counting

[Liz C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just perfect for a storytime. I'd want to use it with some cute felt beavers since we're always counting with felt too.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for young children. It is rhyming and has some near rhymes but it works.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five beavers work to build a damn and one by one are distracted and leve the project. Will it ever get finished? Preschool and up

[Melinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

CBT.
I'm inventing initials for further reviews: CBT book, and any who know me, will understand. This is my pet peeve "Children being trivialized or underestimated" (CBT).

[Al Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourites. A joy to read to my daughter. Thanks for a lovely book, Stella.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to teach simple counting and animal enthusiasts learn about Beavers, trees, and a bit about the ecology of beaver dams.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good counting book. It includes details about the animals at the end.