The Wolf, the Duck & the Mouse by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

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The Wolf, the Duck & the Mouse by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen skirts on the edges of a fable or a fairy tale, both in characters and language. And, as we have come to expect when these two team up, there is witty humor that makes you think and endings that leave you wondering. Early on morning a mouse met a wolf. And he was eaten. "Oh woe! Oh me! Here I am, caught in the belly of the beast. I fear this is the end," the mouse cries out in the darkness of the wolf's belly. He is very surprised when a voice shouts out, "Be quiet! I'm trying to sleep.
The mouse comes to see that the duck has created quite a cozy home for himself in the belly of the wolf, asking, "Where did you get the jam? And a tablecloth?" The duck wryly responds, "You'd be surprised what you find inside a wolf." The two finish off dinner with a dance party (yes, there are records and even a record player inside the belly of the wolf) that eventually gives the wolf a horrible stomach ache.
When a hunter targets the sick wolf, help comes from a surprising place, making for a (mostly) happy ending that might leave you scratching your head. Nevertheless, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next picture book these two team up for!

Source: Review Copy


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