[cf2]W[cf1]s run rampant as Wombat, Weasel, and Woodchuck prepare for worst case scenarios they envision happening on their Wednesday walk to see the world. The cartoon-style illustrations are lively and personable, and one wishes they were better served by the story, which is easiest to wade through when read aloud but is hampered by a wearisome wave of alliteration. From HORN BOOK Spring 2000, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As they did in Some Smug Slug, Edwards and Cole here use alliteration to lighthearted and humorous effect. On a "warm Wednesday morning," Wombat, Weasel and Woodchuck contemplate all the terrible misadventures that could befall them while preparing for a "wander into the world." There is a predictable rhythm to the story, in which each character, in turn, experiences that "Wait! What if..." feeling and is offered comfort and assurance by the other two companions. When Weasel worries what will happen if they are swept into the wilderness by a whirlwind while being chased by a wolf, Woodchuck wisely decides to wear his woolly underwear if it's going to be windy. Yet, it is, in fact, each character who ultimately faces his or her own fear and saves the entourage from any impending danger. Cole's childlike colored pencil drawings portray even the scariest of scenes in a wholly whimsical way to keep even the wimpiest of worrywarts from worrying. Ages 4-6. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Ages 5^-8. The fun starts one warm Wednesday when Wombat wakes up, wistfully thinking that it's a wonderful day to wander the world. Off she waltzes to invite Weasel and Woodchuck to wander with her. But first there's the work of preparation to be done, and then . . . the dreaded "what ifs" set in. What if the stalwart wanderers are beset by wasps or wolves or walruses? What then? Edwards supplies the answers using more "W" words than Elmer Fudd. Clearly, she is mining the same territory she did in such good comedic efforts as Some Smug Slug (1996). And once again, with the help of Cole's wonderfully witty pictures, she has produced a delightful story that demonstrates how much fun can be had with words and that begs to be read aloud. --Michael Cart

PreS-Gr 2-When Wombat, Weasel, and Woodchuck decide to wander the world, they each choose a favorite food or item they'd like to take along. Worry sets in, and they add to their list of needs to prevent the imagined dangers. Once out in the world, their fears become real, and it is their original foods and objects that save them. Prolific picture-book duo Edwards and Cole miss slightly with this alliterative tale: "What if we're running away when the weather worsens? What if a whirlwind blows in from the west and sweeps us away into the wilderness?" In Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke (1995) and Some Smug Slug (1996, both HarperCollins), half of the fun was in finding "f" and "s" words and shapes in the illustrations. In this book, the wordy text leaves no "w" unuttered. Cole's cartoon colored-pencil illustrations are lively and fun, but the text overpowers them. Even this team's fans will find this story forced and disappointing.-Timothy Capehart, Leominster Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.