The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Wallace, Ian

The True Story of Trapper Jack's Left Big Toe

40 pp. April, 2002 | Trade ISBN 0-7613-1493-8 $$17.95 | Library ISBN 0-7613-2405-4 $$24.90

(2) K-3 According to legend, a Yukon trapper lost his big toe, put it in a can, and left it at the Sourdough Saloon. Wallace uses the tale's grosser elements in a contemporary version: two boys beg the trapper to see his toe and watch a dog and a raven vie for eating rights. The situation and earthy language establish a rustic frontier setting. The overbold type is hard to read; with its fast-moving plot and ample dialogue, this may work best as a read-aloud.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2002