A bossy friend is never the kind of friend most stick with or even listen to and it’s even true when the friendship is between a boy and a moose. If you don’t think this is true then pick up the book This Moose Belongs to Me written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers.
We’re introduced to Wilfred who has a moose cross his path. Wilfred decides this moose must belong to him and he names him Marcel. However, a friendship with Wilfred means following lots and lots and lots of rules. Marcel the moose is good at some of those rules, not so great at others.
“Or Rule 16: Knocking down things that are out of Wilfred’s reach.”
One day while Marcel isn’t doing a very good job with the rules Wilfred discovers and old lady who thinks Marcel belongs to her! She even calls him Rodrigo! Marcel/Rodrigo is very interested in the old lady and what she has that Wilfred doesn’t. The boy “embarrassed and enraged” runs off for home, but in his haste he trips, falls, and lays down…a little bit done with his day and not quite sure what to do next. Then, to Wilfred’s rescue or maybe just to munch on a nearby treat, Marcel returns!
Wilfred realizes that maybe all his rules don’t need to be in order to have a good friendship with the moose. Maybe without all those rules there wouldn’t be any more frustration. Maybe having a friend doesn’t have anything to do with owning them or being in charge. Marcel agrees with this compromise.
“And perhaps, Wilfred admitted, he’d never really owned the moose anyway.”
You’ll never go wrong with a book from Oliver Jeffers. His imagination is extraordinary and yet comes off as if it could all be true. Especially with This Moose Belongs to Me and its beautiful scenery. You almost feel like you’re in a painting. Take a look at the art notes in the book and it’ll read, “The art for this book was made from a mishmash of oil painting onto old linotype and painted landscapes., and a bit of technical wizardry thrown in the mix here and there”.
This Moose Belongs to Me is another great read aloud book for your family. Even if you read it as if there are no words and just follow the pictures. Oliver Jeffers even has some of the font as if Wilfred has written in the book himself. Take time enjoying the scenery and spying what attracts Marcel’s attention. It subtly teaches that friendships are not for telling others what to do and that forgiveness is needed in relationships. No one is perfect and no one is meant to just be friends with one other person.
For more Oliver Jeffers genius read The Crayons series, The Heart and The Bottle (so good!), and Up and Down. Happy Reading!