The child in search of animal adventures will like Rocky, the bull elk, whose home is in Rock Creek Basin of the Rio Grande Valley. Leader of the herd, Rocky's protective and competitive encounters bring in other wild creatures, from grizzlies to fawns. To keep Jenny, his mate, for himself, Rocky locks horns with Scarface, a belligerent bull elk, and later the two become allies in an unending evasion of big game hunters. Children should enjoy the ingenious way Rocky finds to keep himself safe through the winter with the help of a human friend, Pedro. A further boon, this is easy reading, with fairly large tape and good portrayals of the elk monarch by illustrator Carl Burger.