Customer Reviews

There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea

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Often a new take on a beloved favorite is doubly appealing due to the familiarity of the piece and the originality of its latest incarnation. Such is the case with There Was A Coyote Who Swallowed A Flea as it is given a spicy Southwestern flavor.

Youngsters will love the sing-song rhyme and giggle at the ridiculous coyote who considered everything to be dinner. First of all, he ingested a flea which he found on his knee. That's probable. But the hilarity increases when he swallows a lizard that "slithered right down to his gizzard" to catch the flea. Then, what catches a lizard? A snake, of course. Poor, poor coyote, it seems he can't win for losing.

What he finally swallows is surprise that will leave youngsters laughing out loud at such silly shenanigans.

Steve Gray's bold, comical illustrations are perfect companions for this laugh provoking tale.

- Gail Cooke

Award-winning author Jennifer Ward presents There was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea, a whimsical children's picturebook offering an outrageous take on a common children's nursery rhyme. Following the exploits of a hungry coyote who sets out to gulp down everything in sight - and the perplexed appetizers socializing in his tummy - There was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea blends the vibrant, cartoony art of Steve Gray and singsong rhythm to create a rollicking funny tale. "He swallowed the cactus to go with the chile. / He swallowed the chile to season the bird. / He swallowed the bird to catch the snake. / He swallowed the snake to catch the lizard. / He swallowed the lizard to catch the flea, / Plucked from his knee, that tickly flea. / Yippe-o-ki-yee?"

Jennifer Ward is the author of The Seed and the Giant Saguaro, which received the Young Readers' Award honor book for the First Grade Book for the state of Arizona. It was selected by Arizona's Governor. Ward resides in Tucson and her environment lends itself to the children's books she writes.

There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea is the retelling of an old rhyme. Coyote swallows most everything in sight in this children's story. He starts with a flea and works his way through a lizard, snake, bird, chile, cactus, a ten gallon hat, a boot, a bull (oh my!), and finally the moon. And then... Well, that's a surprise!

There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea is a raucous tail of a Coyote and his antics. It's a delightful story that will result in belly laughs. The illustrations are large, bold and silly. No, that's not enough. They're just plain zany. And that's a good thing.

Armchair Interviews says: This book will be a favorite of children and the adults will love it also.

Here's a unique spin on "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." This cumulative children's song is transported to the dry desert Southwest in Jennifer Ward's sprightly takeoff, There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea. A big-eyed, rather goofy looking coyote begins his epicurean adventure with a flea plucked from his knee. The initial stanzas retain the logic of the original: he swallows a bird to catch a snake that he swallows to catch a lizard that he swallows to catch the flea.
Following the bird, old Coyote's diet becomes decidedly bizarre--always with a southwestern flavor, of course. In rapid success he gulps down a chile pepper, a ten-gallon hat, a cowboy boot, a cactus, and more. Just when the reader thinks the coyote will surely burst, a surprising but satisfying plot twist saves the day--and the omnivorous coyote.
Computer art by Tucson native Steve Gray is an apt match for this updated text. Colorful caricatures romp across the pages with cheerful good humor. The result is a fun read-aloud for cartoon-loving kids.

This book is completely over the top. Coming from a girl with nieces in Arizona-this is a great, fun desert read. This book takes the story of a woman who swallowed a fly to another level. The art work is incredible. The story and the expression on the coyote's face becomes more and more outrageous as it details everything on the menu. Awesome book for story time with your kids. Very fun with great art.

The illustrations in this book are excellent! Children love to search for the flea and other characters as the story progresses through costume changes and additions of new "food" as the hungry coyote eats his way through the day (and into the night). Repetition of key phrases encourages the wee reader to join the fun while developing memory skills, sequencing and anticipation. I love to read this book as much as my children love to hear it. As a speech-language pathologist, I use it in my work with children in preschool through third grade.

The book is great! I think it is a wonderful rendition of there was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I love watching my husband as he reads this to our little girl.

My kids love this book, a southwest twist on an old favorite story. They laugh easy time at the hot, prickly and larger items swallowed.

This is a cute story line and great coming from a Grandma that lives in the Southwest. My grandsons love it!

Review by 7 year old niece (posted as written):

This book is about a diffent song but Coyoteized. We read it twice because it was fun to sing but the last line is tricky. I think that Warryn-brother and Uncle Jimmy especially will like it.

The coyote very hungry. He eats: a flea, a lizard, a snake, a bird, a chile, a cactus, a hat, a boot, a bull, and the moon.