The Big Carrot: A Maggie and the Ferocious Beast Book - Hardcover

Betty Paraskevas and Michael Paraskevas are a mother-and-son team who have collaborated on a number of well-loved and best-selling picture books, including Hoppy And Joe. Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: The Big Carrot, like Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: The Big Scare, is based on characters who can be seen on Nickelodeon. Betty and Michael also write and illustrate Junior Kroll for Hemispheres magazine. They live in Southampton, New York.

PreSchool-Grade 2-Nedley the rabbit is hard-pressed to dig up the enormous carrot that he has greedily guarded for a long time. When Maggie and her companions happen upon the frustrated animal, they come to his aid with tea, sympathy, cucumber sandwiches, and a plan for extracting his prized possession. The carrot pops out of the ground and Nedley declares, "It's mine-all mine." He takes a bite and immediately discovers that it tastes like wood. The friends begin to laugh, and the rabbit soon joins them when he realizes his folly in wasting so much time trying to dig it up. At Maggie's suggestion they turn it into a giant birdhouse. The full-page acrylic illustrations are done in a bright palette. The colorful whimsy of the rolling landscape of Nowhere Land and the friendly looking characters are appealing, but go only partway in creating a satisfying read out of the slight fable. For tales of cooperation, stick with any of the variations of Aleksei Tolstoy's "Gigantic Turnip." However, fans who know and like Maggie and friends from the Nickelodeon series may enjoy seeing her in this slick picture-book production.
Kathie Meizner, Montgomery County Public Libraries, Chevy Chase, MD
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