Children will no doubt recognize many of their peers, and perhaps even themselves, in this original collection of side-splitting fables. And that's the point, as John Scieszka tells us: "If you can't say something nice about someone, change the guy's name to Donkey or Squid." Characters such as Elephant; Mosquito, Little Walrus, Straw & Matches, and Piece of Toast & Froot Loops are each engaged in contemporary childhood conflicts. When Straw and Matches play together, for example, bossy Matches always takes the upper hand and wants to do things his way. (The moral: Don't play with Matches.) Each double-page spread introduces a set of characters, a problem and a moral, illustrated with Lane Smith's comically sophisticated illustrations. (Ages 7-12)

Sure we'd all love to be able to go around telling stories about all the weird, scary, and just-plain-annoying people that we know. But the truth is, no one likes a gossip. Here, the irrepressible Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith have found a way around that problem-they just make like Aesop and change all the people to animals or food, add a moral to each story, and call the stories fables!

 

With tales like "Little Walrus," in which too much of the truth is a dangerous thing, the cautionary "Slug's Big Moment," wherein Slug is so caught up in herself that she doesn't see the steamroller behind her, and "Straw and Matches," which illustrates quite clearly why you should never play with matches (because they cheat), the eighteen fables in this uproarious collection are sure to delight readers both young and old.