Groundhog’s Runaway Shadow

Punxsutawney resident Phil, a furry brown groundhog, and his shadow have been constant companions but are growing apart, both in terms of personal proclivities (“Phil loved scary movies. Shadow, not so much”) and all-around outlook (“Phil liked to be on time. Shadow liked to stop and smell the roses”). Biedrzycki (Breaking News: Bears to the Rescue) maximizes the differences between Phil and Shadow by giving the groundhog and his fellow animals an almost three-dimensional roundness, setting them in a carefully detailed and brightly colored world. Shadow, meanwhile, is rendered in flat, fuzzy-edged, gray-blue silhouettes, though that doesn’t stop him from flirting with a rabbit on the subway or letting loose a giant burp while Phil quietly eats dinner. After matters come to a head, Shadow decamps to explore the world, eventually leading a remorseful Phil to seek out his absent companion. The somewhat drawn-out story can seem more like a platform for Biedrzycki’s comic vignettes of Shadow’s outsize behavior, but the Groundhog Day references are kept to a minimum, making this a story that could be enjoyed any time of year. Ages 4–8. (Dec.)