(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Fast the alligator and Snappy the frog are partners on the Hop-to-It Express. They outwit a band of rustlers, several times over, to deliver an important letter to the folks at Cactus Gulch. This tall tale set in the Old West is far-fetched and a bit confusing. The illustrations convey both the excitement of the story and the atmosphere of the desert.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Rick Sealock. When Widdermaker-the orneriest bull in the West-breaks free from the Tumbleweed rodeo, Cowpoke Pete goes after him. The chase that ensues alters the desert landscape, which explains how the Painted Desert, Mexican Hat, and Monument Valley came to exist. Sealock's quirky, chaotic paintings (which are crowded by the text) add to the action, and Schnetzler's tall tale, though repetitive, captures the flavor of the old West.

Reviewer: Mark Adam