The Legend of Honey Hollow    by Jeanne McNaney Order:  USA  Can Ovation, 2009 (2009) Hardcover     Reviewed by Deb Kincaid The Legend of Honey Hollow is the first book of the Honey Hollow series. The book's themes are: (1) greedy humans and businesses are polluting the earth, destroying habitats, and killing animals; (2) that even typically powerless people (like children) can do something to prevent it; and (3) if we all work together we can restore the damage before it's too late. Using a cast of likeable bear characters - each one a different species - author Jeanne McNaney tells the stories of Grendel, Mackenzie, Fernando, and Ming Yi, who were all displaced from their homes due to greedy human actions, but who work together with loggers' kids to stop the destruction and restore the loveliness of Honey Hollow. The illustrations, beautifully created by David Cochard, are colorful, imaginative, and expressive. Sadly, the text doesn't work nearly so well. Such inspiring themes, but no joy of language that kids this age love. No musicality! The writing is dry, the sentences too lengthy. Even a story with a serious message needs liveliness. Still, I love the concept and the characters. If McNaney improves her craft, I feel the Honey Hollow books could be green gems inspiring little future stewards of the planet. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews