HANNAH MAE O’HANNIGAN’S WILD WEST SHOW

A born cowgirl saves her uncle’s ranch from an unusual menace in this cheery oater. Hannah Mae lives in the big city, but her heart’s always been out on the prairie; her very first word was “Howdy,” she can lasso all her toys with ease, and if she can’t have cattle to tend, well, driving a herd of hamsters about the house is nearly as satisfying. That last skill comes in purty handy when Hannah Mae’s indulgent parents send her out west. It seems that a whole shipment of hamsters has gotten free and turned feral, leaving even the most hard-bitten cowpoke shaking; happily, Hannah Mae knows just how to handle a wayward bunch of rambunctious rodents. From dusky rose Stetson to matching boots, Hannah Mae exudes both femininity and self-confidence, expertly rounding up the swarm of chubby hamsters in Ernst’s characteristically waxy, pastel cartoons, then going on to glory on the rodeo circuit as the star of her own Wild West Hamster Show. Hannah Mae’s exploit is sure to corral plenty of little dogies with their own dreams of saddling up. (Picture book. 6-8)