DON'T PUT YOUR CART BEFORE THE HORSE RACE

by Thomas F. Van Aarle ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 29, 1980

Bill puts his cart before his horse, Fred's horse has to run backwards, Joe's horse is headed in the wrong direction, and so George wins every race. There is much switching and turning about in order to get things straight, in the process of which Van Aarle has the spectators re-word and re-re-word the rules and Barner plays games with the pages. Recto, Fred's horse is going backwards, but verso, the cart is before the horse. It all depends on which side of the horse you are looking at, the contestants explain repeatedly. It's a clever idea that might appeal to children with a bent for the drollery of language and logic, but the execution is cumbersome. The horse-and-cart telling lacks spark and the stamped-out cartoons don't provide it.

Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1980

Categories: CHILDREN'S