The Terrible Plop
PreSchool-Grade 1—In this Australian import, some things aren't as scary as they seem. The story is told in rhyme, with mixed-media cartoon illustrations. "Six little rabbits/Down by the lake/Munching on carrots/And chocolate cake" hear a mysterious, frightening "Plop" in the water. Five of them flee the forest, and are soon followed by an illogical assortment of animals, including a goose, antelope, leopard, moose, and pig. A big brown bear, infuriated at the thought of a creature more fearsome than he, bullies the littlest, stay-behind rabbit into showing him where this Terrible PLOP is. It proves to be only an apple falling into the lake from a nearby tree, yet the bear, too, unaccountably runs off in terror, and the rabbit happily returns to munching cake, carrots, and apples. Children would love the repetition of the word "PLOP," but the pedestrian story line, bland rhyming text, and mediocre artwork add up to a less-than-satisfying offering.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.