Kindergarten-Grade 3 In a jungle story reminiscent of Babar (Random) or Curious George (Houghton), an ingenious young weasel named Pauline saves her elephant friend Rabusius from hunters by dressing up as a monster. This is the first book that Hallensleben, who did the artwork for Kate Banks's And If the Moon Could Talk (Farrar, 1998), has written as well as illustrated. His richly colored paintings in thick brush strokes are almost impressionistic; and although the animal figures are simply detailed, almost stiff, he communicates both motion and emotion through the closely linked pacing of the narrative and perspective of the pictures. His text is quiet and restrained, though there's plenty of action in the story. Care and precision are evident in this book whose simple story will be widely appealing at storytime or at home. Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
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