Coyote Steals the Blanket

In vivid browns, tans and blues befitting its desert setting, Stevens's latest retelling stars a rapscallion bent on pilfering a blanket. After all, Coyote reasons, the blankets are merely covering some big boulders--who would notice? The wise Hummingbird warns the crafty critter that he will upset the balance of things by taking what doesn't belong to him. But Coyote steals the blanket (``I would look fine dressed up in this. I could wear it as a new coat'') and a mad race ensues as the offended boulder rolls after the thief, who refuses to give up his booty. Frenetic drawings with a kid-like sensibility propel the story at breakneck pace from one vigorous scene to the next--Mule Deer tries to block the boulder and gets his antlers snapped off; Big Horn Sheep is flattened by the marauding rock. No excessive violence here, however, as the overall tone is reminiscent of a Roadrunner cartoon--and the subtle lesson about respecting the possessions of others may just seep into little ones' consciousness. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)