THE ACORN QUEST

Yolen's play on the quest tradition sets five small animals off to find the golden acorn that can save their starving Woodland kingdom. Squirrelin the Wizard prompts the search with his made-up story of the acorn, told just to get the animals moving from their drought-stricken land. Runsalot, the mouse, is the first to volunteer, and because of his faith the golden acorn is eventually acquired. Along with these two go Tarryhere the turtle, Belliful the groundhog, and Gimmemore the rabbit—but these three are motivated by the desire for "gold and glory" rather than the desire to serve, and two of the three, submitting to temptation en route, do not return with the company. Altogether the Fellowship endures a Perilous, a Dolorous, and a Very Queer adventure, none of them taken seriously by Yolen, who plays the whole as a homey little spoof. As such it is well-turned, and pleasingly light-footed.