Skunk & Badger

A funny, animal-based odd couple with Jon Klassen illustrations? Well…that doesn’t narrow it down, but I’d heard good things about Skunk & Badger, so I picked it up and gave it a read while I did an insane amount of laundry. I’m kind of exhausted of “odd couple” stories right now, and desperately seeking more stories with real people and not just anthropomorphic animals, but I have to admit–this one was well done. Enough adult humor to be a good read aloud while still being enjoyable for a younger audience.

Badger is a rock scientist who lives in his Aunt Lula’s brownstone, doing his science and the like. One day, Skunk arrives at the door and announces they are going to be roommates. Badger would have known this if he had read Aunt Lula’s last four letters, but now he is stuck with a roommate who doesn’t understand his box room, his rock tumbler, his preferences, etc. It’s a very Odd Couple situation where they butt head and clash with norms until the Chicken Incident, when Skunk protects their house and friends, and Badger freaks out. Badger then has to go on a quick little journey to find Skunk again so they can learn that living together is better than living alone.

This is a little more sophisticated of an animal tale, and a bit longer—probably best for third graders and up, though I can see this being very readable for a read-aloud of animal lovers who like a good laugh at the pretention of others.