Sticky Burr: Adventures in Burrwood Forest

Sticky Burr

by John Lechner

Meet Sticky Burr, his unshakable friends, and his prickly foes in a beguiling graphic storybook guaranteed to grab young readers.

Welcome to Burrwood Forest, where a village of seed pods are busy having adventures! There are friends like Sticky Burr and Mossy Burr, who stick together, and bad seeds like Scurvy Burr, who irritates them every chance he gets. Watch out for wild dogs and maze trees, loyal insects, and escapes on the fly in a gently quirky graphic storybook that readers are sure to get stuck on.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Comics, Fiction, Picture Books, Graphic Novels Comics, Middle Grade

56 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2007

About the author

Recalling his childhood, John Lechner says, "Our house was always filled with art, music and creativity. We wrote plays, formed poetry clubs, painted murals, planted gardens, kept rabbits, built puppets, and invented games." John went on to study art and creative writing at Carnegie Mellon University, and has been telling stories his whole life.

John's first picture book was A FROGGY FABLE, the tale of a solitary frog that becomes frustrated by the changing world around him. Birds, otters, and falling trees seem to invade his quiet pond. "This story grew out of my own experiences," the author notes, "and I hope
readers will take away their own personal meaning from the story."
John's picture book THE CLEVER STICK is the story of an ordinary stick who find his voice.

John is also the author of STICKY BURR: ADVENTURES IN BURRWOOD FOREST, the story of a little burr who has extraordinary adventures with his forest friends. Blending elements of a comic book and a picture book, it received the 2010 Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award from the Oregon Association of School Libraries. The adventures of Sticky Burr continue in STICKY BURR: THE PRICKLY PERIL, which was shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Awards. Visit the Sticky Burr website for more stories and games: http://www.stickyburr.com

In addition to being an author and illustrator, John is an animator, puppeteer, musician and interactive designer. He works as an Art Director at FableVision Studios in Boston, a children's media company. He is currently working on several new projects.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler and I discovered this in Yosemite but, being frugal, we decided to order it used once we got home. It was cute, with some darling pictures; the story was a bit predictable, but still a nice "message" about friendship and understanding. Not an amazing book, but entertaining enough and I think kids would like the "small world" of the burrs.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's break this down
1. A burr as a main character
2. A grasshopper as a karate instructor
3. A possible budding romance between a sticky burr and a mossy burr
4. A friendship between a dragonfly and burr
5. A princess of lightning bugs

I am so happy someone recommended this book to me. Can't remember who. Probably Mr. Schu.

AWESOME BOOK!!!!!!

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel about a burr! Good stuff.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A humorous graphic novel about a forest burr, who stands out in his village because he's nice, not prickly like Scurvy Burr and his bullying friends. Through courage and cleverness, and some help from his insect friends, Sticky Burr manages to save the day. With bright cartoon illustrations and snappy dialogue, this book is a series of quick bursts of action and adventure. Kids might not pick up on some of the subtleties in the smaller cartoon panels, and some of the plot elements seem contrived or superficial. Even though the overarching theme of being yourself is made glaringly obvious, most kids (both girls and boys) will find something to like in this little story. Best for ages 7-10.

Summary from SPL: "Sticky Burr is on the verge of being kicked out of his village in Burrwood Forest because he is not prickly enough to suit some of the other burrs, but when the village is attacked by wild dogs, Sticky Burr and his friends come to the rescue."

Positively reviewed in SLJ and Booklist.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sticky Burr doesn't do things like other burrs. He is friendly, helpful, and loves music and art. Fun graphic novel for 2nd and 3rd graders. Excited to share this with students. A lot to talk about as well.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sticky Burr shows us that being different from everyone else can be just what is needed.
What a great cast of characters and overall a great hero's journey!
I love that a grasshopper was the karate teacher.
(Also, the newspaper at the end is great for using in the classroom.)

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute graphic novel for the younger set. Nature-themed, and even a tiny bit educational! It's hard to find graphic novels for kids that are not full of ennui, sarcasm, and overly mature content.

[AlexandraM · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this graphic novel by John Lechner, readers meet Sticky Burr, an ordinary burr living life with his friends in the Burrwood Forest. When you're a burr, there are all kinds of adventures--and dangers--that await! From using birds as transportation and befriending grasshoppers who teach karate to escaping swarms of wasps and pesky bats, the life of a burr is never dull!

Fans of literary favorites such as Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin can take the next step as more advanced readers with Sticky Burr. Narrated by Sticky Burr, this text allows readers to understand what life is like from the point of view of a burr. Silly endeavors and whimsical illustrations hook readers as they explore the Burrwood Forest with Sticky. A great start for students beginning to read graphic novels, this book could also be used to teach students how to write from a point of view different from their own. I think this book would be appropriate for use with a small group of readers as they analyze how Lechner uses pictures and words to help readers understand what life is like as a burr.

Check out the sequel as well as other books by John Lechner here! http://johnlechner.com/

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall- meh. It's a graphic novel about a burr going on adventures and having a very annoyingly perfect happy ending. Honestly it wasn't really that bad except for two things that really ticked me off. 1) As mentioned above, the perfect ending. I don't know why but this really made me mad. 2) How the lightning bugs got saved by making a LINE. This makes no sense to my tiny brain. The saving grace of this book is that it's a really enjoyable, quick read, even if some parts made me mad. Also, the gazette/newspaper at the back of the book is really fun to read.


Conclusion: Fine.


Note: I am probably not the author's intended audience so take this with a grain of salt. Younger readers will probably enjoy this much more than I.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

If graphic novels are the gateway to novels, then this is the entree into graphic novels. It's a cute read aloud for little kids. Sticky Burr isn't prickly like many of the other burrs in the Burrwood Forest. He paints marigolds, composes songs on his ukulele, and has a dragonfly for a best friend. Despite being ostracized by his village, he remains loyal. The drawings are simple but have a fairy garden quality. I like the inclusion of maps, sheet music, and newspaper articles. Bonus: grasshopper karate teacher.

[Yasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book by a dear friend of mine. It’s honestly a cute story for kids. Even though I am way past that age, it was nice to read something light. While there is no direct moral to the story, it is still a simple one about how being different is ok.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goofy, a little surreal, and wildly imaginative, this beginner's comic will have kids and adults alike giggling at its gentle humor.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the cutest thing I've ever seen.

[Jordan Schwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally picked up Sticky Burr because being from Iowa, it was a familiar topic. I really liked the texture of the cover of the book because it was different than a good majority of any other book I have read.

As soon as you open the book the front pages have a map of Burrwood Forest which is where this story takes place. There is also some epitext on following pages that I found pretty interesting. For one thing, it is on a paper background and that looks pretty cool. Second, there is a leaf with definitions of what burr and sticky mean so that children or even adults who don't know what a burr is can understand what the entire book is about.

There is a prologue that has the characters recognizing that they are in a story. It is pretty cute and continues throughout the book with small interjections about who is who, what is what, and what all you need to know for the context of the book. On some pages it tells you to look out for things on other pages which makes you more attentive and I thought it was pretty cool. Along with a prologue there is an epilogue which really just ties everything together. After that there is also the Burrwood Gazette which is the local newspaper. It's pretty cute and includes things that are going on in the town outside of the adventure you just read about. On the very last page there is a dong that Sticky Burr wrote which would create interaction with the kiddos reading the book, especially if you were reading the book out loud in class.

There is an overall natural color scheme to the book including a lot of greens and browns. This ties into the content of the book with it being held in a forest and being about things in nature. Any text that is not dialogue is put into a box or scroll that has the appearance of a piece of paper which ties into the background of the epitext. The text within those as well as in the prologue looks as if it is being written into a diary. This almost makes it more personal with the interjections here and there. The other text, such as dialogue, is pretty standard and is in dialogue bubbles.

The pictures and the text tie together very well and tell the story better together. Neither really distract from each other which makes it easier to read. The images are also in white borders as well as framing with a few pages being full-bleed. This is pretty common in a graphic novel because it helps with time sequencing.

All in all the story of the book is pretty cute and I could find myself using it in class to teach about how everyone has their purpose and just because they don't always stand out doesn't mean they aren't vital to the way things work. It could also be used for bullying or group exclusion.

[Sara Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Genre: Junior Book/Graphic Novel

2. Summary: Sticky Burr is a friendly burr who isn’t treated very well by some of his peers. By staying true to himself and treating others well, Sticky Burr is able to teach those pesky peers a lesson on respect and friendship.

3. Critique:
a. One of the greatest strengths in this graphic novel is the themes.

b. Of these, the strongest theme is that of believing in oneself. Sticky Burr is not treated very well by Scurvy Burr and Spiny Burr. Despite this, Sticky Burr does not let their unkind words discourage him from doing the things that he likes and enjoys. “How come you never do prickly things like the rest of us burrs?” “I don’t know…I’d rather work on my art and music!” (p. 9).

c. Along with the support of Mossy Burr, Sticky Burr is able to maintain his positive attitude and individuality throughout the story. “Mossy Burr says stars are like burrs, and I think she’s right. Each of us tries to shine out in the darkness and be seen. And every once in a while, we are.” (p. 51).

4. Curriculum Connection: This graphic novel would be an excellent complement for a science lesson on how seeds travel. Teachers could also use this graphic novel as supplemental reading material when teaching a lesson about predators and prey.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lechner, J. (2007). StickyBurr: adventures in Burrwood Forest. Cambridge, MA: Candlewicj Press.

Review Source: “Best Graphic Novels for Children Grades 3-5” ALA Notable Book (found on http://www.atyourlibrary.org/connectw... ), also awarded the 2010 Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award

Graphic Novel

I picked this particular graphic novel above others simply over the unique name of the main character in the title—Sticky Burr! This clever story has so many unique facets, beginning with a sticky burr as the main character of the story. Sticky Burr stands out from the crowd in his community, because unlike the rest of the burrs, he is friendly and nice. Without giving away too much, Sticky Burr musters up a lot of courage with help from friends (including but not limited to, a grasshopper karate teacher, a “mossy burr,” a dragonfly, and the princess of the lightning bugs!) to save the day. Students will love the adventure and small scale of the plot, and as for teachers there are a lot of opportunities to teach on friendship and being yourself in this story. The illustrations are quite engaging for children, and I would recommend this to use with second or third graders specifically due to the content.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and look forward to read Sticky Burr's next adventure. This is a great graphic novel for a beginning reader. I think it would fit nicely in either a graphic novel collection or an easy reader collection. Sticky Burr is a kindly burr, different from most of his fellow Burrs who like to do prickly things to others. When Stick Burr refuses to participate in Scurvy Burr's prickly activity, Scurvy Burr goes to Elder Burr to have him removed from the village. However, Sticky Burr proves to be a valuable member of the Burr Village and ends up saving them all from an invasion of wild dogs. Sticky Burr is not asked to leave the camp, but is given a parade and a party. The pictures are a lot of fun, with little details to keep young readers in grades 2 through 4 interested to the very end. The book also includes The Burrwood Gazette and a sheet music for Sticky Burr's song.

[Alexandria Hiam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and look forward to read Sticky Burr's next adventure. This is a great graphic novel for a beginning reader. I think it would fit nicely in either a graphic novel collection or an easy reader collection. Sticky Burr is a kindly burr, different from most of his fellow Burrs who like to do prickly things to others. When Stick Burr refuses to participate in Scurvy Burr's prickly activity, Scurvy Burr goes to Elder Burr to have him removed from the village. However, Sticky Burr proves to be a valuable member of the Burr Village and ends up saving them all from an invasion of wild dogs. Sticky Burr is not asked to leave the camp, but is given a parade and a party. The pictures are a lot of fun, with little details to keep young readers in grades 2 through 4 interested to the very end. The book also includes The Burrwood Gazette and a sheet music for Sticky Burr's song.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this book stand out in the newly exploding field of graphic novels aimed at the preschool set? First, the ink-and-watercolor illustrations pop out, giving the whole book a sense of fun and whimsy. The characters are cute and quirky, and the action is punctuated here and there with fun "aside" comics going into detail about some aspect of the story. On the downside, the story itself doesn't hold up to the standards of the illustration and layout - it wanders from event to event, as though the author was making it up as he went, until everything is suddenly resolved at the end. Still worth a look - the visuals carry this one (and at least in our household, the kids have no complaints about the story either).

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are branching out more and more in our reading choices and we are starting to get into some graphic novels. I've been very hesitant about these kinds of books, because I think they are much better read alone than trying to read them aloud. Too much dialogue, too much of the story action occurs within the illustrations.

This is a graphic novels for younger children and it wasn't too hard to read with our girls. It has an entertaining story and lots of colorful details in the illustrations. Sticky Burr is actually pretty cute. I still think we will stick to traditional stories for the most part, but we will likely read more of these books in the future. I think our girls will enjoy reading them on their own too, in the near future.

[Phobean · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I first saw mention of this book in a Indie Best book flyer, I was excited to learn more about the plants that create the sticky seedpods that we refer to as burrs. I mistook this graphic novel for children to be something along the lines of Clan Apis (an educational graphic novel about honey bees) - but sadly, it turned out to be more like watching an episode of the Smurfs. Although I appreciated the charming art and sense of equality between male and female characters, the story was disappointingly two dimensional with numerous chase scenes and bully characters displaying little motivation beyond straight-out bullying.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I would read a story about anthropomorphized burrs. That's why John Lechner has published books and I have not, he has way more imagination! Sticky Burr usually spends his time playing the ukulele and painting, but when trouble arises, he's the one the other burrs look to for good ideas. This book combines graphic novel storytelling with pages describing life in the village, the forest, etc. Rich fictional world, cute talking burrs, what's not to love?

(One caution: there's a mean-spirited burr, but I still think this is fine for even little kids. It's so funny how the jerk burr always loses and gets so frustrated.)

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprising range of burrs inhabit a village in Burrwood Forest -- it is amazing how much individuality one can give to a burr. Lechner's artwork was a highlight of the book for me -- definitely 4 stars. I appreciated the detailed drawings of the forest, insects and other creatures. Sticky Burr and his friends decide to have a festival, but Scurvy thinks it's a silly idea, against a burr's true nature, and works to sabotage the plans, enlisting the help of the evil Burrweena. A story of community and getting along.

[Stephanie Denison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boop loved this book. First she read it to me in the car on the way home. Then she had me read it to her at bed time two nights in a row.

It's a really cute story about a colony of burrs (we always called them hitch hikers because they stick to your clothes when you play in the woods), a dragonfly and a group of fireflies. Sometimes the artwork is like a comic book, sometimes like a picture book and sometimes like an illustrated journal.

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I really did! But I just didn't. The whole idea of a graphic fantasy novel/nature book for young readers appealed to me, but the combination just didn't work for me. Perhaps if Sticky Burr had been some tiny animal rather than an anthropomorphic plant seed I might have bought into the idea. But the fantasy blurs the distinction between the plant and animal kingdoms and marred the whole story for me. Sorry!

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny and creative graphic novel for younger kids. Sticky Burr is a burr who gets made fun of by the other burrs because he likes to play the banjo and do art. But when the burr village is attacked by wild dogs, it's Sticky Burr who saves the day.

This really isn't going to do much for folks older than say, fifth grade, but the artwork is really cute and the story is fun. Definitely recommended for children's library collections.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, i thought this was going to have science content. Not really! It is a completely far-fetched story of the adventures of a burr and his tribe. Kind of strange, but relatively amusing. Good artwork.

My 6yo likes this "because Sticky Burr has lots of adventures, and the Maze Tree is cool." He doesn't like me to laugh when one burr asks "what's a banjo?" - he thinks I'm making fun of a burr who is honest about what he doesn't know.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first book of this series of graphic novels for younger kids, readers are introduced to Burrwood Forest and more specifically, Burr Village. Sticky Burr is the main character, and yes, he really is a burr. He has many friends, including a dragonfly named Draffle.

In this story, Stickly Burr gets lost in the Maze Tree while trying to help the lightening bugs get out. It's a great story about friends and helping each other.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative and a positive read for anyone who's ever struggled to march to the beat of their own drum. Sticky Burr doesn't fit in with the other burrs. He prefers art and music to prickly pursuits. His talents save the day and gain him some new friends along the way when he helps a pack of lightning bugs find their way out of a maze tree and when he saves his village from wild dogs. Recommended for middle grade readers.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sticky Burr is about a burr who lives in Burrwood Forest. He is different from the other Burrs in that he doesn't like to do Burr things. He loves his art and music. His best friend is a dragonfly and he is bullied by Scurvy Burr and his sidekick Spiny Burr. The short graphic novel is full of adventure and is funny. It well worth the 15 minutes it took me to read it and I will be sharing it with my students!