THE USEFUL MOOSE: A Truthful, Moose-full Tale

Moose on the brain soon become moose in the house in this quirky, lighthearted fantasy. Plain and simple, Molly likes moose. So much so, her parents plan a moose-watching vacation to Alaska. But the antlered critters were nowhere to be found, having left on their own getaway—to Molly's town. Upon her return home, Molly eagerly befriends three of the furry visitors and invites them to stay with her family. The gentle beasts prove not only good company, but they do a bang-up job of cooking, cleaning and managing household chores. Alas, homesickness soon acts as a "call of the wild" and the trio hoof it back to the 49th state. But happily for Molly, her four-footed friends are only a postcard—and a plane ride—away. Making her picture book debut, Robinson demonstrates a flair for humor tinged with heart in her waxy, textured oil paintings. Portraits of gangly moose sharing the comfy green sofa with the heroine, or using their antlers as a clothes-drying device, ratchet up the level of both silliness and warmth. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)