166. Bink & Gollie: Two for One by Kate DiCamillo

Bink & Gollie: Two for One by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Illustrated by Tony Fuclie (US) - (Canada)
Bink & Gollie, Book 2

Pages: 96
Ages: 6+
Finished: Jun. 16, 2012
First Published: Jun. 12, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genre: children, easy reader, picture book, humour
Rating: 4/5


First sentence: "Gollie, do you think we should go to the state fair?"

Publisher's Summary:  The state fair is in town, and now Bink and Gollie - utter opposites and best friends extraordinaire - must use teamwork and their gray matter while navigating its many wonders. Will the energetic Bink win the world's largest donut in the Whack-a-Duck game? Will the artistic Gollie wow the crowd in the talent show? As the undaunted duo steps into the mysterious tent of fortune-teller Madame Prunely, one prediction is crystal clear: this unlikely pair will always be the closest of pals.

Acquired: Received a Review Copy from Candlewick Press.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series

An entertaining and easy-to-read picture book which one could call the author's answer to the "Mercy" books which she has now finished.  For approx. the 6-9 age group, though olders with enjoy the humour as did this oldster reviewer.  As in the first volume the book centres around three short stories which occur during a day's outing between the two friends.  This time they decide to go to the state fair.  The first story involves Bink playing a carnival game trying to hit a duck with a baseball, not succeeding but causing quite some damage to the old barker.  Secondly Gollie is all thrilled to enter the Talent Show but once she's on stage she gets stage-fright and clams up.  A lovely story of friends being there for each other.

The last story is an unfortunate choice as it involves a fortune teller and this may turn off some Christians, however, she is not taken seriously and I honestly see this as a great opening to discuss the topic.  The girls first go in kidding, not believing and having funny remarks for the seer.  But as she tells them of their past, it is easily explainable as to how the girls visual clues gave the seer her answers.  Finally while she is telling the future, again we are shown how she does it with prompts from Bink & Gollie.  On top of that the girls run out of there very quickly without their fortune being told in full.  Saying they don't need it.  They have everything they could want already.  An uplifting view of this topic, and as a Christian, I'd recommend it to others of the same mind.
A delightful book with lovely illustrations, that shows how friendship and a true friend is there for you no matter what!