Duck, Duck, Goose!: (A Coyote's on the Loose!)

PreS-Gr 1-It's on the loose. It's really big and it might be a coyote. The rhyming verses build to a crescendo as different farm animals flee from a mysterious creature, which, except for its eyes, is concealed by a pile of leaves. The illustrations alternate between close-ups of each startled beast, scenes showing all of them running for safety in a frightened mass, and views of their mysterious pursuer. The contagion of fear from the unidentified threat grows with the building intensity of an impending rainstorm, tugging readers along to a dramatic climax-and a surprise ending. Aruego and Dewey use bold paints as varied as a child's imagination to color their comically rendered farmyard animals. A suspenseful romp that will strike a chord with children.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.