The Society of Distinguished Lemmings

The lemmings are a distinguished group with particular rules that must be followed. With all of their events and activities, Bertie just needs a bit of peace and quiet . . . so he climbs up to go outside, where he comes face to face with a bear. The two become instant friends as Bertie realizes he enjoys Bear’s favorite activities (which happen to break Lemming rules). But when all of the lemmings spill out of the ground, they don’t think bear is quite up to snuff and decide to take a vacation. Meanwhile, Bertie and Bear are reading A Short History of Lemmings, which states that lemmings, when migrating, sometimes try and swim too far and drown. Bear and Bertie race to the water and save the lemming crew just in time, earning Bear a spot in their distinguished society and displaying the lesson that you don’t have to be the same to have worth. The illustrations show each hair on the animals and their beady eyes, capturing an eccentric feel to match the clever, yet excessive captions of the chattery lemmings. The storyline, though full of potential and style, feels pedantic and long, ultimately lacking development and depth in Bertie and Bear’s instantaneous friendship.