Going the Moose Way Home

Stunning watercolors combine with a wry year-in-the-life-of-a-moose storyline for an involving tale to read aloud. Moose ``is tall, a hill on hoofs, and thin stork legs'' and the lugubrious, lovable protagonist of these nine linked tales. He has many encounters with his forest friends and a wide variety of humorous adventures. Empathic and outgoing, Moose wants to share his Christmas dinner of frozen blueberries and lily pads with lonesome cows; he asks a skunk to be his Valentine; he helps the Easter Rabbit deliver his eggs; he celebrates his birthday creatively. Latimer's language is vividly descriptive and is wonderful to read aloud. Carrick's evocative watercolors convey the comic exaggeration of the tales; in fact, one wishes the book's design had allowed for more illustration. This pleasing collaboration should find a wide audience. Ages 6-8. (Oct.)