From Publishers Weekly
All is calm as Jack lies sleeping in his house--that is, until a rat helps himself to the wedge of cheese left on Jack's kitchen table. When the cat chases the rat and the dog worries the cat, this cumulative verse takes off. The ensuing chain of events leads a cast of bouncy, cavorting animals and humans to converge en masse upon a startled Jack and the house that he constructed. Westcott's ( I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly ) bright palette renders appropriately energetic figures, whose actions are further enhanced by a number of tabs, flaps and pop-ups, and whose simple, pencil-point eyes and tiny mouths are enormously expressive. The rolling green hills of the countryside, dotted with friendly-looking black-and-white cows, are an inviting backdrop for this spirited romp. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K-- A delightful pop-up edition of a classic nursery rhyme. The silly, cartoonlike watercolor illustrations are colorful and bright. As the rhyme progresses, new participants, whether they be cat, dog, or rat, are added in an accumulation of increasingly fun and frenzied activity. The characters, particularly an endearing herd of cows, are portrayed with slightly puzzled expressions as they get caught up in a crazy kaleidoscope of confusion. Children will enjoy this fast-paced tale that is sure to be a read-aloud favorite.
-Cathleen Towey, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NYCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
