BABY BABOON

With the artless-seeming economy of a folktale, another fine readaloud from the creators of Crafty Chameleon, etc.: an original tale combining pourquoi and trickster motifs. After Leopard catches Baby Baboon, clever Vervet Monkey fools him into tossing his prey high into the air so that Mother Baboon can catch him from her haven in a fever tree. Gold-toned full-bleed art suggests sunstruck African grasslands, lush riverbanks, velvety fur, and feathery vegetation. Slightly anthropomorphic expressions (grumpy Leopard, frightened Hare, taunting Baby Baboon) are part of the fun; so is discovering more wildlife in the background. The pourquoi aspect (why does Leopard lurk in trees? why does Baby Baboon sound as if he's laughing?) is almost beside the point; what's satisfying is the small ones outwitting the mighty. (Picture book. 4-8)