Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

by Margie Palatini and Barry Moser

In a humorous twist on a classic tale from Aesop, an industrious Fox creates overly... read more

In a humorous twist on a classic tale from Aesop, an industrious Fox creates overly complicated plans to attain a bunch of grapes beyond his grasp. Visual jokes show Fox leafing through his notebook and moving from Plan Alpha to Bravo and beyond as he enlists first Bear, then Beaver, then Porcupine, and finally Possum in his machinations. The other creatures clearly see the weakness in Fox’s logic, but he’s uninterested in their feedback. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he’s happy to remind the others, “After all, I am the fox. I am the one here who is sly, clever, and smart.” The animals’ mostly realistic bodies veer to the comic when human expressions of skepticism, eagerness, and determination appear on their faces. Grape-colored endpapers and type, along with varying font size and style, are creative design choices in an outstanding interpretation of this fable. (Ages 4–8)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2010

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