THE ANIMAL FRIENDS OF PENG-U

This is a gentle, Chinese story about a fox, a rabbit, and some chickens that overcome their enmity and join forces to aid their friend Peng-U, who is too embarrassed about his disjointed shape to take a wife but who longs for a son. Although the tale is short, readers may lose interest in the over-lengthy conversations of the animals which outbalance the action. The brush drawings emphasize the oriental character of the story and its delicate charm.