Quick-thinking frontier gal outsmarts a passel of mean critters in a tale with echoes of a boy, tigers and pancakes. While riding in the back of Mama and Papa’s wagon on the way to Whisker Creek, young Toby goes flying past a surprised eagle, when the vehicle hits a big bump. She lands on a soft pile of snow, and nearly into the arms of a ravenous wolf. Toby bargains for her life with her beautiful blue coat. After the wolf, Toby faces a cougar, a skunk, a porcupine and a bear. By this time, Toby is down to her red long johns, and watches from an evergreen as the five would-be predators turn on each other, racing so fast around the trunk of a maple that they turn into a golden brown puddle. The maple absorbs the puddle, and Mama rewards Toby with a big pancake breakfast. She eats 169, and takes the reins of the horses. Teague’s vibrant oil paintings add humor and style to Isaacs’s All-American tall tale. Totally delightful and a great new spin on an old story. (Picture book. 4-9)
