Outfoxed

In this winning comedy from Twohy (Poindexter Makes a Friend), a duck escapes death by persuading a fox that he's not a duck at all, but a dog. Framed panels with hand-lettered narration and dialogue tell the story, and Twohy's urgent marker coloring heightens the fox's initial nighttime heist and the duck's efforts to save its neck. When the fox discovers that the "chicken" he's snatched from the hen house isn't actually a chicken, the duck stalls by trying all the dog behaviors he knows, slobbering on Fox's coat, wagging his tail, and looking adorable. "Duck barks," reads the next panel. "Bark! Bark! Bark! Quack, oops! Bark!" Then Fox brings in a wading pool. "I will trick Duck," he says, one eye closed in malicious calculation. "If Duck swims, I will eat him." Duck shuns the water and pees on the carpet. The psychic swordplay between the two adversaries segues from classic fairytale trajectory to a burgeoning story about the charms of dog ownership before ending with a zinger. Steady humor and skilled pacing make this a keeper. Ages 4-8. Agent: Elena Mechlin, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)

Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...but wait, this white-feathered yellow-billed bird is barking like a dog, slobbering like a dog, chewing up socks like a dog. What gives? That's what Fox wants to know after he inadvertently grabs a duck out of the henhouse intent on enjoying a chicken dinner. But maybe a duck will do? Clever duck manages to avoid the cookpot by declaring, "You are mistaken, sir. I am NOT a DUCK!" and adopting a variety of classic doggy behaviors such as wagging her tail and peeing on the carpet. Finally, Fox relents and takes the "dog" back to the farm where she belongs, only to find a surprise in the house that blows the lid off the whole ruse. The hilarious illustrations sketched with marker and colored pencil are designed like large comic book panels and have a real slapstick appeal that is perfectly suited to the comedic text. Kids will love being in on the joke, and the large word bubbles make reading easy even for beginners. Don't be outfoxed. Get quacking and buy this book.--Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.