What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?

Australian author and artist Jones here pits the wiles of a hungry wolf against a host of unsuspecting barnyard animals whom he invites to a ""VERY special meal."" Unbeknownst to the dinner guests, but quickly apparent to readers, is the fact that the animals themselves are the entrees. One by one, they ask, ""What's the time, Mr. Wolf?"" A die-cut hole features both the questioner and, with a flip of the page, the question. As the hours tick by toward dinnertime, the scheming wolf asks each animal to pick up the condiment that suits it best (mint sauce from the sheep, oranges from the duck and so on). Meanwhile, the animals frolic the day away at the market, beach and swimming hole. Spry watercolors offer a wealth of details that hint at the wolf's plot: a framed portrait of a turkey dinner hangs above Mr. Wolf's bed, he tucks a book titled ""Cooking with Lamb"" casually under his arm as he converses with the sheep. Mischievous allusions to other literary wolves include a triptych of porcine photos and an ancestral portrait of a wolf in grandma's clothing. In an anticlimactic ending, when Mr. Wolf finally announces, ""It's... DINNER TIME!"" he attempts to pounce on his assembled guests, who easily escape to the safety of the barn and party without him (the dejected wolf peers through a window). Though it loses some steam at the end, it's still an enjoyable romp. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)