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Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

"This appealing riff on the Aesop fable of “The Fox and the Grapes” is ideal for families that make a point of reading aloud at night…In “Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes,” a delightful third collaboration of author Margie Palatini and illustrator Barry Moser, the old story takes on a new texture as Fox tries to enlist one animals after another in his quest for the tasty treat…Mr. Moser’s renderings of the Fox are very funny: We see both the animal’s predatory authority and his egotistical foolishness when he is shown launching himself wildly at the grapes from various absurd locations.  What really seals this picture book as a bedtime choice for children ages 4-8, though, is Ms. Palatini’s lively dialogue…In the end, as in Aesop, Fox stamps away disgruntled.  But in this version, the other creatures feast cheerfully on the elusive delicacy that was, for resourceful them, always within reach."