Molly Coxe has written and illustrated Louella and the Yellow Balloon and and Ducks, Ducks, Ducks, and has illustrated Whose Footprints? and The Big Dipper. She lives in Norwalk, Iowa.
Kindergarten-Grade 3?Two friends, Mirabel, a goose, and Maxie, a frog, become anxious when they read about a snake escaping from the zoo. While reading the newspaper article, Maxie falls into the trash can where the paper sits, and can't get out. As Mirabel searches for something long to pull her friend out, she meets the cobra, who offers to help. Once Maxie is rescued, the two friends help the cobra reach a ship bound for India. The story is predictable, yet it contains enough suspense to keep youngsters interested. Reluctant readers will be drawn in by the title as well as by the colorful cover. The clear, full-color illustrations are warm and reflect Mirabel and Maxie's feelings for one another. Coxe uses bright colors in a style similar to that in her Whose Footprints? (Crowell, 1990; o.p.) to complement and extend the easy-to-read text.?Mary Ann Bursk, Bucks County Free Library, Levittown, PA
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