Scholastic Reader Level 1: Groundhog Day

by Betsy Lewin

Will Phil the groundhog see his shadow?

It is Groundhog Day! Will Phil, the groundhog,
see his shadow? Or is spring on its way? Read this fun, colorful story to find out what happens to the adorable groundhog! This Level 1 early reader is written and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, the bestselling illustrator of the Caldecott Honor Book CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE.

Genres: Holiday, Picture Books, Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Betsy Lewin grew up in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. She always loved to draw and can’t remember wanting to be anything but an artist. Her mother, a kindergarten teacher, is responsible for her love of children’s books. She read to Betsy and her brother every night: Winnie the Pooh, The Adventures of Babar, Uncle Remus, and all the fairy tale books. The illustrators A.B. Frost and Ernest Shepard were among her earliest heroes. Later on when she started illustrating for children, Betsy realized how strongly she’d been influenced by James Stevenson and Quentin Blake.

After graduating from Pratt Institute where she studied illustration, Betsy designed greeting cards. Then she began to write and illustrate stories for children’s magazines. When an editor at Dodd, Mead & Company asked her to expand one of those stories into a picture book, Betsy says, “I jumped at the chance. I’ve been doing picture books ever since and loving every moment.”

Betsy’s art is usually humorous, drawn in pen or brush with watercolor washes, as in Click, Clack, Moo; Cows That Type, but she also paints in a naturalistic style as in Pool. Gorilla Walk is her first collaboration with her husband Ted and is about their trek to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda. This was followed by five more collaborations; Elephant Quest, set in the Okavango Delta, Top To Bottom Down Under, about their adventures in Australia, Horse Song; A Story of the Naadam, set in Mongolia, Balarama; A Royal Elephant, set in India, and Patrol, about the puffins of Iceland.

Many of Betsy’s books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List and she has garnered many awards including a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators, and a Caldecott Honor for Click, Clack, Moo; Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin.

When not at work on their books, Ted and Betsy love to travel to exotic places around the world gathering material for new books. At home each of them has a studio in their brownstone house in Brooklyn. Besides the usual clutter of pencils and pens, paint tubes and brushes, drawing paper and, of course, books, they surround themselves with mementos of their travels: peacock feathers from India, Herero dolls from Botswana, Galimoto toys from Namibia and Brazil, digeridoos from Australia, postcards and snapshots, and countless stones and seashells and bits of cloth that transport them back to the lands they visited. Their cat, Sophie, can usually be found napping on their drawing table.

Betsy was awarded a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators Original Art show for Click, Clack, Moo; Cows That Type, and an Honor for the first ever Ted Geisel Award given by the ALA for the book she illustrated, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa.

In 2015, Ted and Betsy Lewin were inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute easy to read beginners book it talks about a groundhog named fill who comes out to tell us if its going to be spring or winter an he comes out an doesnt see his shadow so he stays out a people cheer and took pictures but when the flash hit him he saw his shadow and runs into his hole. So it turns out its not the weather but he's only afraid of his shadow

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Groundhog Day holiday fascinates my kids. It was fun reading this book with them.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute holiday book

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read about Phil and if he sees his shadow. When someone takes a picture of him what will that mean?

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It turns out Phil is afraid of his own shadow.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a cute, easy to read beginner book on Groundhog Day, but not the best.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This simple beginning reader explains the basic premise for the celebration of Groundhog Day, portraying the moment when Phil the groundhog looks for his shadow. Sweet, watercolor illustrations on a white background add to the book’s clean, simple nature. The text has some repetition among the words, but the inclusion of a few contractions may make it difficult for some readers. New readers in grades K-2, especially animal lovers, will enjoy learning about Groundhog Day from this short informational book.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great starter book for new readers, but I didn't feel like it was very engaging or interesting. The story line is sub-par. However, it is an easy read and a quick way for children to learn the basic idea of groundhog's day.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Groundhog day is highly celebrated in my household, mostly because it's my husband's birthday. That is why I decided to read it in the first place. I really like the way it explains why the groundhog runs back into his cave.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, originally published in 2000 has been repackaged as a level one early reader. The text is simple and humorous, complimented by humorous line drawings featuring a cute groundhog who is actually afraid of his shadow.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

a cute story talking about the pagentry and ideas with groundhog day

[Mandy Robek · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple story to share the folklore of Groundhog Day

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Groundhog day book for younger kids.