Ludmila's Way

Written by Linda Talley and illustrated by Andra Chase, the iconographic-animated Ludmila's Way tells the tale of a group of barnyard animals governed by a compassionate and sensible horse named Ludmila. Set in Suzdal, Russia, the story is narrated by an itinerant dog named Vladimir whom the concerned Ludmila takes--to mix animal metaphors--under her wing. At first, the others--including two cows, three hens, and a grouchy goose named Pavel--are skeptical about a new mouth to feed, but Ludmila implores them to share. Later, when the majority of the farm-owning family goes on vacation, leaving the grandparents in charge, the animals worry about whether they'll be taken care of, and Pavel becomes downright discourteous. But when dedushka (the grandfather) puts corn in only one dish--two days in a row!--the gander has to eat crow (Ludmila's sound advice: do not cut the bough you are sitting on) in order to persuade the hens to share their food with him. While well-intentioned, this is a bland, forgettable story, overall, that feels like an elongated proverb. Optional. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)