OICES IN THE MEADOW

Life among the meadow animals is the subject of this story. Meadowrat, Squirrel and Beaver are told by Raven (isn't it fortunate that there's no more than one of each breed in this community?) that they have no souls. Beaver lets the news get him down, but Meadowrat and Squirrel keep plodding away to find out the truth and discover that these nasty rumors are actually a part of an insidious plot by Greywolf to undermine meadow morale. When Greywolf appears, the animals hot-foot it down the river, where they manage to run into (and escape from) animal heaven. Occasional descriptive passages, which indicate the author's familiarity with wild life, are enjoyable but are overshadowed by the monstrous dialogue, reminiscent of grade-B Donald Duck.