The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again

Aesop himself would grin if he could see the laugh-out-loud illustrations by Andrew Glass for a whimsical update of the age old fable. This hare has floppy ears that certainly do flop, a tummy that protrudes above his orange running shorts, stray hairs that sprout from his eye brows, and two prominent Chiclet-like teeth. As if that weren't enough, he's an object of ridicule, laughed at by the self-satisfied Easter Bunny. In fact, every rabbit in the village avoids him since he lost the race to the tortoise. The tortoise, "Mr. Slow and Steady himself," has enjoyed a great deal of success since his triumph. He's ranked "No. 1 on the list of Most Admired Reptiles" and penned a book titled "My Hare-Racing Experience." Still, he feels he's had enough of fame and turtle parades that last six weeks. He just wants to return to a normal life, and so he would like to race again. A rematch is in the offing with the hare demanding a pair of silk pajamas if he wins, and the tortoise asking for a pair of cool sunglasses because he thought sunglasses would allow him to hide (he'd heard this worked in Hollywood). Youngsters will be surprised at the outcome of this contest and want to look at the hilarious illustrations again and again. - Gail Cooke

But enjoyable for the kids too. This retelling of the Aesopian tale is clever and wickedly funny. The illustrations are a perfect complement to Bernstein's sardonic writing style. A winner for any picture book libraray!