The ROYAL RACCOON

Frederick, a snobbish raccoon and self-proclaimed prince of the garbage dump, discovers the value of friendship when two ferocious dogs drive him out of his palace and into the swamp home of two wild raccoons

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Another rollicking tale from the author of Four Fat Rats (Macmillan, 1987). Fred, a raccoon literally on top of the heap at the local dump, likes to think of himself as royalty, and calls himself Prince Frederick Bottlecap Macaroni III. Alas, the prince retreats to the swamp when chased by some dogs and is horrified by the scruffy raccoons he meets there. Despite their best efforts to make the prince at home, he is repulsed by their diet and living quarters. Ever stubborn and bossy, he stomps indignantly out of the swamp and right into the clutches of "Duke La Chomp," an alligator who has recognized Frederick's weakness for royalty of any kind. Of course the scruffy raccoons save Frederick, and he lives "wildly ever after" in the swamp as Fred Fiddlehead. Bellows' illustrations in swampy khakis, browns, and greens are the perfect foil to the lively text, which is the real star of this show. Some of the illustrations are necessarily half-page due to the length of the text, but most are large enough to share with a small group ready for a longer story. Children will be entertained royally by this raccoon. --Joanna G. Jones, formerly at Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.