Cackle Goes A-Courting

Mother Tilda realizes her young rooster, Cackle, needs a wife. Since this ``oh-so-very poor'' woman can't afford to buy him one, she sends Cackle a-courting. Not knowing what a wife should look like, he brings home a string of unsuitable mates, including a red-haired girl with a Mohawk haircut, a pig, a goose, a crow and a parrot. Finally, Cackle meets up with a fox, who--hopeful that the rooster and his future wife will thrive together and become pleasingly plump--leads him to a barn filled with cooped-up hens who happily follow Cackle home. Now Mother Tilda has a yard full of fresh eggs to sell, making her ``not oh-so-very poor anymore.'' Translated from the Swedish, Lind's rambling tale has a rhythmic, ear-pleasing repetitiveness. This, as well as the text's considerable length and small type size, make the book most suitable for reading aloud. But young listeners will need no help spotting the many rib-tickling happenings in Rudebjer's busy pictures, including the exploits of a family of diminutive hedgehogs. Ages 4-8. (June)