Lynn Beckwith

Josette's cousin Louie has come to visit her, bringing with him a little whistle a gift from their grandfather in Paris. "Mama says Louie is spoiled," Josette says. "I say he is just Louie."

Josette is the narrator of The Little French Whistle, and from these few words, we understand her personality completely. She would like to try the whistle herself, but Louie is not one for sharing his toys. Sweet, patient Josette watches Louie as he tortures everyone in earshot with his loud, obnoxious whistling. Birds are frightened from their morning baths, the family poodle Fonfon is rudely awakened from her nap, and Grand-pére (the very same grandfather who gave the gift in the first place) is jarred from his bubblebath by Louie, who blew right into the bubbles. Though forgiving Josette still does not see her young cousin the way the rest of the world does (indeed, we all agree with Mama here), she is beginning to get the picture.

What will he do next? Louie startles a baby and runs back into the house, where he finally meets his match: Sheba, the cat. Sheba, like most cats, is not one to suffer fools patiently, and she gives Louie a bit of his own loud medicine ("HISSS!"), with a swat as a punctuation mark. The whistle is conveniently lost behind a cushion, and Louie is forced to go home without it. So, our heroine Josette finds it and plays it softly and sweetly for the same parties that were so offended by Louie's shrillness. Even Grand-pére is impressed. "You make music like in Paree," he exclaims.

In this familiar slice of family life, author Carole Lexa Schaefer tells the story of the spoiled boy and his loud toy without the predictable animosity of the jealous sibling or ranting adults. Having cousin Josette as the storyteller is the key here. Her sweet disposition is not cloying or false; she simply wants a turn at the whistle and follows Louie to see what will happen. Perhaps it is the European flavor of Chollat's delightful artwork, with its various references to Paris, and the round-faced, perpetually smiling characters moving through everyday experiences at the park and in the neighborhood, that make this book such a treasure. The Little French Whistle is a sweet tune you will want to hear again and again. 

Hold onto your hats, your livestock and your wits! A twister has landed, and it's a whopper. Carolyn Fisher's lively romp into the life of Bailey Tarbell, a red-headed farm girl, and her experience with a rather unusual cyclone is sure to tickle the funny bone of any reader.

A Twisted Tale is reminiscent of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Jules Feiffer's Bark, George. Bailey takes care of a cow, a cat, a dog, a duck, three chickens and a pig. When a storm unexpectedly blows up, the force pulls all the animals into the air, and then that twister spat out the critters like a cowpoke spits out a wad of chew. It seems as if the twister has done more than spin the critters around; it has them all discombobulated! The pig tries to swim and quack, the duck chews its cud . . . you get the idea.

If the over-the-top, humorous language and wacky scenarios aren't enough to drag a laugh out of you, the wild, colorful, naive paintings are sure to do the trick. First, there is Bailey appearing 10 times the size of a John Deere tractor. Then, Bailey's parents are dead ringers for the couple made famous by Grant Wood in his painting American Gothic. The careful reader will see those Grant Wood parents sitting in a nest, chewing on a bone, performing hypnosis, riding a Ferris wheel and driving a car.

Well, Bailey is not a stupid girl; she knows these animals have to return to normal. When the veterinarian is unable to fix the livestock, Bailey takes matters into her own hands. She and her obliging parents try to teach the animals appropriate behavior a failed idea. Then, she hires a psychologist is that the great Dr. Freud? but hypnosis does not work, either.

Inspired in the bathtub as she watches the water swirl down the drain, Bailey finally has the idea she thinks will do the trick. Eureka! Yup, she takes the whole kit and caboodle to the State Fair, where the animals and family spin around on the various rides until they are back to normal. Problem solved; at least the livestock seem okay. But what are those words falling from Bailey's mouth? While her parents are whooping a jolly Ooo-Wee, Bailey emits a big Wee-ooooo! We are left knowing that an enterprising young'un like Bailey will figure this out for herself. Lots of fun for everyone.