Ferret Fun

PreS-Gr 1—The pair who created Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (Dial, 2004) highlight the antics of two pet ferrets in graphic panels. When a friend of their owner drops off a cat, Marvel, to stay while she's away, Fudge and Einstein hope that the feline brought raisins. Instead, they huddle fearfully in their ample cage as she narrows her eyes and keeps hungry watch on them, promising, "I've opened a few cages in my day." When she's successful, the ferrets mull over the best course of action, and decide to literally stand up to the bully, baring their teeth and hissing to "scare the hair balls out of her." Their pedestal of boxes tumbles onto the cat, bonking her head. Truce is finally called when Marvel demonstrates her ability to open a raisin box at their request, and the happy ending calls for a friendly game of chase. The creatures' conversations are hilarious: "We could run away." "Then who would feed us raisins?" and de Tagyos's extraordinary cartoon paintings amplify the mirth. Picture giggling ferrets, the pair supine on an orange mat, Fudge gently tagging the cat's paw, saying "You're it!" Not just for those fond of ferrets.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA