MUWIN AND THE MAGIC HARE

Two simply retold Passamaquoddy tales (``The Rough-face Girl'' plus one about a conceited grouse whose round canoe spins into a whirlpool) are set in an elaborate longer tale about a bear who's about to hibernate when he's lured away by the Great Magic Hare, Mahtoqehs—who leads the still-hungry Muwin to a campfire where a hunter offers him ``stew of snowshoe hare'' and tells him a story; next morning, all has vanished. That evening, an old woman offers Muwin ``hare soup'' and tells him another story; she, too, vanishes before dawn. Eventually, a boy in a canoe—yet another embodiment of Mahtoqehs—takes sleepy Muwin back to his den. The narrative, in trying to incorporate several tales, seems a little contrived and doesn't provide much motive for the journey. Still, the bear's adventures are mildly intriguing; the Shetterleys show respect for their sources in a note; and the vibrant acrylics, enhanced with dramatic shadows, nicely evoke the Maine landscape (the animals are especially appealing). (Folklore/Picture book. 5-10)