Agate; What Good is a Moose?

Agates are a favorite objective for rock hunters along the North Shore of Lake Superior. In this unusual picture book, Agate is the name of a plain brown moose who is envious of the fabulous gems among his friends. He would like to be as tall as Diamond (giraffe), as clever as Opal (raccoon), as good a swimmer as Aquamarine (penguin). The watercolor art is stunning as each animal is painted in the color of his/her gem. Eventually Agate realizes that he is a "fabulous, knobbly, glorious, lumpity, terrific, bumpity, incredible, gangly, remarkable, spendid, magnificant secret jewel!" In the back, readers will find more information on the birthstones for each month--they also match the animals of the story. It is a very creative work by Minnesotans Joy Morgan Dey and Nikki Johnson.