The Island of the Skog

Narrated by Anthony Edwards, with additional voices by Diana Canova, B.J. Ward, Mary Beth Hurt, and the author, Steven Kellogg, this animated adaptation of the 1973 picture book, backed with a fine musical score by Ernest V. Troost, follows the adventures (and misadventures) of a band of mice. When their celebration in honor of National Rodent Day is broken up by a cat, Jenny and her mouse friends escape to the waterfront, board the empty ship "Flying Rose" and set sail for a better place. After a small, and rather chilly, accidental detour to the North Pole, the sick, hungry and tired mice finally land on the island of their dreams. When they discover, however, that they are not alone (a sign says the island is inhabited by a "skog"), the fearful mice reboard the ship and fire cannon balls (and bowling balls) at the island, and later set traps. Although he leaves a mighty big footprint, the skog turns out to be not quite the monster the mice expected, and they learn a valuable lesson about preconceived notions, as well as the inadvisability of using a cannon as a calling card. Although the animation is unexceptional, and the pacing is occasionally slow, The Island of the Skog provides a good lesson, and is therefore recommended for larger collections. Aud: K, E, P. (R. Pitman)