Four Little Old Men: A (Mostly) True Tale from a Small Cajun Town
Grade 1-4–Four old friends play an endless card game of bouree down on the Mississippi River levee through wind, rain, and cold. As each season rolls around, they adjust, first building a shaky roof frame for a tarp to keep off the rain, then four walls and a real roof so the cold can't come in, until finally they are playing in a snug purple house with window boxes and electricity. But then it's spring again and they move outside for the fresh air, and the purple house is forgotten and finally hauled away. Told in the manner of a tall tale, the story conveys the flavor of Cajun life perfectly and the distinctive cartoon illustrations add to the effect. The old men in particular are wonderfully rendered, as are their surroundings. Nothing much really happens, and readers may question some of the logic, but it sure is fun to pass a good time with Bubby, Dumbo, Cap, and Rigger Moritz.–Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.