School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Bateman offers up a workmanlike parallel between a turkey on a journey to save himself from a Thanksgiving feast and the Pilgrims of yore who created the tradition he seeks to avoid. Gus has grown up on a farm with all the amenities and has a penchant for dressing up. After hearing from his barnyard friends that turkeys "don't make it to January," he packs his things and follows the flocks of birds migrating south. Turkeys are good eating everywhere though, and life is dangerous until he meets an accommodating parcel of penguins at the South Pole and discovers that this journey to safety has made him a pilgrim. Though the concept has potential, Gus's story unfolds with the straightforwardness of a school composition; even the page design, with its tired Comic Sans font, doesn't make the most of the material. Sasaki's cartoon paintings have the same pedestrian feel as the narrative. For this holiday, read Eve Bunting's A Turkey for Thanksgiving (Clarion, 1991) or Mary Jane Auch's Beauty and the Beaks (Holiday House, 2007) instead.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
When his friends clue him in on why he's not likely to see the New Year, Gus decides to head south with the other birds: "Maybe that's why they don't end up as dinner!" Backpack over his shoulder, he trudges south. He hops a ship bound for Antarctica, landing on Thanksgiving Day--and, one quick costume change later, he disguises himself as a penguin. "So the Pilgrims left their homes because they didn't feel safe there, and they traveled by ship for a long, long time?" muses the head penguin. "Welcome, Pilgrim!" Sasaki's palette and style, both reminiscent of Jos Aruego, suit this silly confection to a T. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The author of April Foolishness (2004) offers another humorous, holiday-themed picture book. Gus the turkey lives a fabulous life, spending his time gobbling with friends, wearing what he likes, and eating all the time. He looks forward to winter until his friends explain, Turkeys don't make it to January around here. Alarmed, Gus packs up and leaves, hiking through Mexico (where he is horrified to see what happens to a bird-shaped piñata), stowing away on a South Pole-bound ocean liner (where he is nearly roasted by the crew), and finally camouflaging himself in his tuxedo as a penguin. Bateman's witty prose works well with Sasaki's lively, colorful artwork, which fully captures Gus' exuberant innocence. The story is played for laughs, but Gus' realization that he has much in common with the Pilgrims of Plymouth makes for a satisfying ending. A good choice for holiday story hours or one-on-one sharing; recommend to fans of Mary Jane Auch's Beauty and the Beaks: A Turkey's Cautionary Tale (2007).--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2008 Booklist