“Turkey is having a terrible day.” And what other kind of day would he have on the eve of Thanksgiving? He certainly won’t be giving thanks if the farmer catches him. “Run, Turkey, Run!” Turkey spies the pigpen and hides in the mud. Maybe the farmer will think Turkey’s a pig. Does he? “No! Run, Turkey, Run! / Muckity-muck, here comes the farmer!” Poor Turkey tries to be a duck and then a horse, but the farmer knows his animals too well. Turkey finally finds safety in the forest . . . until the family comes searching for a Christmas tree. “Run, Turkey, Run!” Mayr’s onomatopoeic turkey escapes are a nice pair with Rader’s energetic watercolors. Listeners will laugh at Turkey in a diving mask and giggle at the clankity-crunchity fun. Since the farmer’s children look perfectly happy with a grilled-cheese Thanksgiving, here is a fine companion to Dav Pilkey’s ’Twas the Night before Thanksgiving (1990). Sure to be a participatory storytime favorite. (Picture book. 3-7)
