Whatever can one do with a rebellious teenager? It's a question that has
plagued plenty of parents from all walks of life. In the case of Poppy's Return,
the parent in question just happens to be a mouse. And while the word
"teenager" doesn't make a whole lot of sense when applied to a creature
who is a mere three months old, the troublesome son of the title heroine
is unmistakably an adolescent, tearing up Dimwood Forest as best he
knows how and scowling about how lame and clueless his mom and dad are.
But maybe a little bit of forced quality time can change all that...
Poppy's Return
is the latest in Avi's series of books about the creatures of Dimwood
Forest, most notably a noble young mouse by the name of Poppy. In this
book, she's not quite so young as before, but her vivacious spirit
hasn't been washed away with the passing of time. Nonetheless, she is
deeply discouraged that her son Ragweed Junior has chosen to take after
his namesake, the irresponsible mouse who was Poppy's first love before
his shenanigans got him killed. He snaps at his parents, tosses insults
and profane phrases at whoever passes by, and spends his days holed up
in the darkest part of the house or wandering the woods with Mephitis,
his best friend who just happens to be a skunk. What's more, he has dyed
his fur to match the skunk's, much to his mother's consternation. Even
the crusty old porcupine Ereth has no idea how to straighten Junior out.
Then Poppy's sister, a very prim and proper mouse named
Lilly, arrives to entreat Poppy to return to the home she abandoned long
ago, as her father is unwell and the farm where they live is in danger
of being bulldozed. Could this be the perfect opportunity for her to
reacquaint herself with her son? Though Lilly balks at the notion of
bringing Junior along - particularly when he conditions his coming on
bringing Mephitis - Poppy hopes a reconciliation may be in the making.
More than one, actually, since she didn't leave her parents on
particularly good terms. After being used to freedom for so long, how
will she handle her parents' restrictive natures? And what does her
father so urgently wish to discuss with her?
Poppy's Return
is a sweet and funny tale of family: how we adjust for the ones we love
and when we must refuse to budge. It's a story about growing up and
growing older and sliding into those roles, however awkwardly. Poppy is a
tender and sympathetic character whose youthful antics return to her
throughout the trip, reminding her that she and her son are not so
different. Ragweed Junior, meanwhile, is entertainingly frustrating, a
rebel without a cause who's more bluster than anything and who really is
a caring individual under all his tough talk. Mephitis has a mysterious
background, and while he's initially pegged as a "bad influence," we
soon learn there's more to him than meets the eye. Add ornery old Ereth
and Lungwort, Poppy's cantankerous, elderly father, into the mix, and
there's plenty of humor to be gleaned from this coming of age tale,
which is perhaps the least violent of the installments, with a run-in
with a pair of bears the only truly perilous moment, though the climax
is also cause for a bit of nervous breath-holding.
Because it
was published in 2005, the book has a very modern feel to it, so while
Junior's language (with favorite phrases including the bored (and
Scooby-Doo-esque) "rucks to be you" and any variation on the word
"freaking") is toned down from what you might find in a typical teen
movie, his mannerisms ring true. Wilderness lovers should get a kick out
of this charming tale, as should parents struggling with unruly
teenagers and teens convinced their parents could never have been
anything remotely approaching "cool".
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