Rosie and the Rustlers

Gerrard ( The Favershams ; Sir Cedric ) transports his comic and lumpish figures across the Atlantic to tell a western tale. ``Where the mountains meet the prairie, where the men are wild and hairy / There's a little ranch where Rosie Jones is boss.'' While Rosie and her men are visiting their friends the Cherokees, Greasy Ben and his gang try to steal her cattle. As usual, Gerrard's humor is understated and droll. Ben's gang is ``sinister and seedy, good-for-nothing, grim and greedy / And their manners were a positive disgrace.'' Rosie and her men stop to rest in the middle of their chase to eat ``a buffalo for tea.'' Bespectacled Utah Dan comes up with the plan to lasso the chimney of the villains' hideout and pull it into the water with a ``satisfying splosh.'' The good guys win out in this straight-faced comedy that--like Rosie's celebration party--is ``enormous fun.'' Ages 3-up. (Sept.)