The Ballad of Blue Eagle

Steven E. Jones
Synergy Books (2004)
ISBN 0974764442
Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (9/06)

Blue Eagle and the animals of Peaceful Valley reside together in harmony enjoying their friendships and the peace that pervades their valley. Under the watchful eyes of Blue Eagle, their brave protector, the animals look out for each other and enjoy the diversity that they share.

One day during their latest game of Sneak and Peek the animals all practiced camouflaging themselves and Pete Rabbit was chosen to hunt for them. Just when he started to search for his friends, Pete heard a horrible growl. Clugar the Cougar had come down from the mountains to catch a meal. Clugar terrorized the animals chasing Pete and Sammy Squirrel, until Toby Turple and Blue Eagle ended his hunt and restored peace to the valley.

The recipient of a Mom’s Choice Award, “The Ballad of Blue Eagle” offers strong moral messages about treating others well, living together peacefully and valuing friendships. The father-son writer-illustrator team share an interesting bedtime tale originally passed down in their family. Children and parents will appreciate the story and the colorful illustrations of the animals in their habitat.

The book provides good parent-child reading time. The animals possess memorable alliterative names and the book provides appropriate descriptions that help children understand the different types of animals. For example, Chip Munk can fit in a shoe and slow Toby Turple never comes soon.

Despite a few troubling tense changes the story is well-written and contains a strong plot for a picture book. The rhythm and the cadence of the story are best appreciated when read aloud. The quality of the book’s rhymes varies with some of the two-line stanzas feeling forced and unnatural. But others stanzas flow, like the one about counting fingers and viewing the part in your hair. Children will enjoy the rhythm and rhyme and Toby’s Tune at the end of the book.  Families will want to watch for more books about Blue Eagle and his friends.

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