The Farm Team
PreSchool-Grade 1–In this rollicking tale, a hockey team made up of pigs, ducks, and cows takes on the Bush League Bandits, creatures from the wild who have claws on their fangs and fangs on their claws. Slavin's cartoon illustrations, rendered in acrylics, move the story rapidly along. The game gets downright nasty as Needles the porcupine purposely crashes into the goalie, played by Big George the pig wrapped up in bundles of hay for protection, and knocks him out of the game. Not to be discouraged, the Farm Team replaces its goalie with Betty, a cow who is young and solid and fills most of the net standing sideways, only to be outshone by the Bush League placing a grizzly bear in their goal with his hindquarters nearly filling an expansive spread. The surprise ending will bring cheers from the crowd as they ask for repeated readings.–Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.