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The Only Way is Badger
A group of animal friends wake up to discover that a wall has been built near their homes by a puffed-up badger who believes that badgers are the best and that anyone who does things differently must live on the other side.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published July 12, 2018
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 19, 2019
I usually don't post my professional reviews here because of the limits of their format, but I was a little too pleased with this one.
Imagine an insufferably self-important creature obsessed with conformity to a narrow set of ideals and dementedly focused on building a wall to keep others out. This is Badger, and his mission is to bully others into accepting his vision of black-and-white supremacy and to push out everyone who disagrees with him. After forcing his fellow forest creatures through a series of ludicrous trials to determine who is sufficiently badger-like to stay, Badger ends up being left all by himself. In the end, Badger comes to the realization that he was wrong and apologizes to everyone; after all, this is a children’s story.
Jones and Saldaña have created a thoroughly entertaining story that shows off both of their talents. The text is filled with alliteration and rhyme, making it both a pleasure to read and an excellent example of how to use these poetic devices. Saldaña’s animals are cute and expressive, even looking straight at the reader sometimes as if to ask, “Can you believe this is happening?” The pro-Badger propaganda plastered across the inside cover is a nice touch, as is its absence at the end of the book, which brightens up the drab wall with flowers and colorful butterflies. The Only Way Is Badger is a fun story, and its lesson about the excesses of self-absorption and divisiveness is a timely one.
Imagine an insufferably self-important creature obsessed with conformity to a narrow set of ideals and dementedly focused on building a wall to keep others out. This is Badger, and his mission is to bully others into accepting his vision of black-and-white supremacy and to push out everyone who disagrees with him. After forcing his fellow forest creatures through a series of ludicrous trials to determine who is sufficiently badger-like to stay, Badger ends up being left all by himself. In the end, Badger comes to the realization that he was wrong and apologizes to everyone; after all, this is a children’s story.
Jones and Saldaña have created a thoroughly entertaining story that shows off both of their talents. The text is filled with alliteration and rhyme, making it both a pleasure to read and an excellent example of how to use these poetic devices. Saldaña’s animals are cute and expressive, even looking straight at the reader sometimes as if to ask, “Can you believe this is happening?” The pro-Badger propaganda plastered across the inside cover is a nice touch, as is its absence at the end of the book, which brightens up the drab wall with flowers and colorful butterflies. The Only Way Is Badger is a fun story, and its lesson about the excesses of self-absorption and divisiveness is a timely one.
May 22, 2019
Might be good in the current political climate if you need a picture book to help get the concept of acceptance across or discuss the border wall.
April 18, 2019
Set-up was good but the ending felt rushed and didn't flow. I love the title, but it seems badger never really learned his lesson.
July 18, 2018
Many of us have known someone just like Badger. You know the type. Not only does he know best, but he also thinks he is the best, and there will be no compromising on that matter. As several of the animals attempt to be more "badgerlike," often failing to meet his standards, he culls them from the herd. Eventually he has either rejected or driven away all the other animals, leaving him alone and hanging out in a very bleak place, all to be laid at his own feet. Although badgers still are great, this one realizes that insisting on getting your own way and belittling others does not make for much fun or friendship. He has to make up for all his mistakes with a heartfelt apology. Not only does this story offer a great lesson for youngsters--oldsters too!--about trying to be too exclusive, but it does so in vivid and humorous fashion. Covering each page completely, the illustrations are striking and show just how bleak Badger's world is without any friends, all of whom he's run off.
January 7, 2019
This book sort of had a very "yikes" vibe to it and although I am glad Badger changed his mind and apologized in the end this book left me confused. Was it supposed to be about the current political climate, the political climate in the 1930s, or just a book about thinking you're better than everyone? The ending didn't fit in if it was trying to make a political statement but the beginning was very awkward if it was not trying to make a political statement.
February 6, 2019
The Only Way is Badger by Stella J. Jones, illustrated by Carmen Saldana. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2018. $17. 9781680100983
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Badger has declared that badgers are the best and and tests his fellow animals to see if they can act more like a badger. When Deer can’t dig and Moose can’t burrow they are sent over the wall and separated from everyone. Eventually everyone ends up on the other side of the wall enjoying each other’s company and badger is lonely and has to apologize.
Woodland animals are often my favorite kind of creature characters, and these are well illustrated. The message of the story is a bit heavy-handed, but not off-putting. I like that the story didn’t just end with a lonely badger, but ended with a bold apology. I think that apology was more subtle and tasteful than the big and loud message about conformity.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Badger has declared that badgers are the best and and tests his fellow animals to see if they can act more like a badger. When Deer can’t dig and Moose can’t burrow they are sent over the wall and separated from everyone. Eventually everyone ends up on the other side of the wall enjoying each other’s company and badger is lonely and has to apologize.
Woodland animals are often my favorite kind of creature characters, and these are well illustrated. The message of the story is a bit heavy-handed, but not off-putting. I like that the story didn’t just end with a lonely badger, but ended with a bold apology. I think that apology was more subtle and tasteful than the big and loud message about conformity.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
September 21, 2020
A story of what friendship really is.
Badger thinks he is better than the other animals in the forest, so he wants them to be more like him.
When the animals attempt to be like him in one way or another, they are banished to the other side of the wall - until Badger is alone. Then he realizes that the error of his ways.
Jones' story is not necessarily original, however there is a freshness to this tale that is not didactic. It will speak to today's youngsters. Illustrations by Carmen Saldaña are colorful and lively and appear to be mixed media. They are funny and clever at just the right times (ex. bear and moose being catapulted over the wall) to remind all that this is not a serious tale, rather a lighthearted look at the importance of friendships.
A fun read for PreSchool-grade 2.
Badger thinks he is better than the other animals in the forest, so he wants them to be more like him.
When the animals attempt to be like him in one way or another, they are banished to the other side of the wall - until Badger is alone. Then he realizes that the error of his ways.
Jones' story is not necessarily original, however there is a freshness to this tale that is not didactic. It will speak to today's youngsters. Illustrations by Carmen Saldaña are colorful and lively and appear to be mixed media. They are funny and clever at just the right times (ex. bear and moose being catapulted over the wall) to remind all that this is not a serious tale, rather a lighthearted look at the importance of friendships.
A fun read for PreSchool-grade 2.
December 17, 2018
Whoo - this is a book with a definite message, though it's possible the apparent intended audience may not pick up on the quite ostensible references to today's political climate. Badger wants to build a wall, and anyone he deems not "badgery" enough must live on the other side of it. Of course, that means he ends up alone on his side of the wall, and asks forgiveness of his former friends. Great art work, heavy handed messaging, but kids may see their own peer power struggles in this story and not the adults'.
January 18, 2019
A PERFECT book to read to children during this time of people hating others for being different. Badger decides that only animals who behave like him can stay in the forest. Slowly the animals are eliminated, one by one, due to them not being able to be just like badger. Eventually he is by himself when he realizes he went too far. That friendship is better than being the same. This would make an excellent read aloud for elementary children to explain why diversity and being different is a good thing.
December 15, 2018
Very interesting idea for a book. I think that it will reach out to children about how it's not good when someone decides that it's time for everyone to conform to one way.
The reason I gave it three stars as opposed to two stars is because it felt like there were political undertones to the story, and I don't know that it worked for this book.
The reason I gave it three stars as opposed to two stars is because it felt like there were political undertones to the story, and I don't know that it worked for this book.
February 4, 2019
An excellent book with a fantastic message. Looking forward to using this one with my class... a great book about trying to understand that everyone is different. Sadly there are a lot of people in the world like the badger and I think most of us know a few. I did wonder if they’d recognise themselves. A powerful book fur children, and adults!
October 28, 2022
Noah seemed to enjoy this one, but I think he missed the moral. It was too predictable, sadly.
The more I read of children’s books inevitably the harder I am to please as many of the ingenious ideas have gone before. Just as an avid reader of who-dunnits can’t be intrigued by the oversimplified plot with numerous loose ends.
The more I read of children’s books inevitably the harder I am to please as many of the ingenious ideas have gone before. Just as an avid reader of who-dunnits can’t be intrigued by the oversimplified plot with numerous loose ends.
February 6, 2023
I like what the author was trying to do here. I like the images. But the ending left me unclear on what message children would come away with. There needed to be something about how Badger repairs his relationships with his friends. This was suggested as a book on forgiveness - but there is no actual forgiveness in this book, just someone realizing they have done wrong.
December 6, 2018
You know how much I love badgers, but this book wasn't as great as I wanted it to be. It felt like they decided it should be 8 pages shorter at the last minute and yanked out the section where badger learns his lesson.
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December 11, 2019Badger puts up a wall in the forest and wants all the other animals to me more like him. When they can't live up to 'badger' traits they are asked to leave. Inevitability, badger ends up alone. He realizes he needs to apologize. He comes to understand that friends are the best thing, not badgers.
November 1, 2022
Badger is convinced that everything should be his way or the highway, and somehow manages to rid his corner of the woods from all other animals and colors other than black and white. But is Badger really the best?
August 31, 2018
Badger thinks badgers are the best and will do anything to prove it. Will all the other animals agree?
October 3, 2018
Cute, but heavy-handed. Ages 5-7.
November 8, 2018
A badger slowly and systemsatically takes over the forest eliminating anyone not like him. Is this the best way? Preschool and up
November 10, 2018
Cute but very tongue in cheek
December 4, 2018
I understand what this was trying to do; however the end did not do enough. Yikes.
January 7, 2019
This book definitely has a message lol
February 13, 2019
Badger builds a wall to keep everyone who isn't just like him out and says that "If it's not black and white, it's just not right!"
And if you squint, you can't see any politics.
And if you squint, you can't see any politics.
February 21, 2019
Badger learns a lesson about hubris.
March 4, 2019
A cute book about acceptance. I loved the illustrations.
March 18, 2019
Very cute illustrations, it helps children know that your way of doing things isn't the only way.
September 16, 2019
Badger is convinced everyone should be like him! This book has a solid message about acceptance and the strength of an apology. Very nicely illustrated.
May 24, 2022
Unlikable character who has some unmotivated epiphany and the end. My daughter and I both checked back to see if we'd missed a page or two.
October 13, 2022
3.25 stars. Bought this for my friend whose having a baby because there was a badger and hedgehog on the cover. Very cute illustrations!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews