Moose Tracks!

Part game, part mystery, Wilson's ("Bear Snores On") rhyming, jaunty story brims with eccentric characters. The narrator, who goes unseen until the final spread, finds evidence on every page that someone has been in his house because he detects moose tracks everywhere. He remembers the nut shells from the chipmunk who made fudge sundaes for the two of them to share, the feathers from the goose who dropped by to play hokey-pokey and the woodchips from the beaver houseguest who took a bite out of the bedpost. "But "who" left all those moose tracks?" In addition to a surfeit of hoof prints, the messy house brims with dogs, cats, birds, frogs and all kinds of amusing creatures that may well distract youngsters enough to be completely and pleasantly caught off guard by the answer to the narrator's question. Davis's acrylic, watercolor and ink illustrations include plenty of added details and comedy enough to provide interest for more than one reading, even when readers already know the solution to the mystery. Ages 4-7. "(Mar.)" Copyright 2006 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

K-Gr 2 -A narrator whose identity is not revealed until story's end describes a none-too-clean house and yard, and is puzzled by the vast number of moose tracks covering almost every surface. Other messes are easy to attribute to various visitors. A bear left hair on the lawn chair, a chipmunk scattered shells on the counter, and a beaver sprayed wood chips from the bedpost all over the guest room after a midnight snack. The moose prints remain a mystery until the final spread reveals who the culprit is. Wilson's rhyming text will keep youngsters laughing at the animal friends and their antics. Davis's goggle-eyed cartoon style adds fun to the tale, highlighting the house's eclectic appearance, cozy untidiness, and the noise and energy of its inhabitants. The creatures are packed with personality: a ram wears tortoiseshell glasses and a polka-dot bow tie, a goose with a pearl necklace delicately sips tea, and a smiling mouse maid scurries around trying to keep up with the clutter. An enjoyable choice for storytime, this book will hold children's interest right up to the amusing -and appropriately predictable -ending." -Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ" Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.