Albie's Trip to the Jumble Jungle

Albie is sure he can identify every animal in the world because he has seen them all on TV. But hes never seen the creatures of the Jumble Jungle! And if he can name just one of them correctly, hell earn a Lifetime Membership to that wondrous land. Kids will love to join Albie as he uses visual clues to guess the names of the creatures he meets-and information in the back of the book will lead readers to their own Lifetime Membership to the Jumble Jungle.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-While walking the dog, Albie stumbles across the "Jumble Jungle," and a sign at the entrance challenges him to figure out the name of one animal he meets in order to win a lifetime membership. However, these are no ordinary animals. The smiling crocodile is a "crocosmile," the lion with wings is a "flyon," etc. As Albie tries to retrieve his sneakers from the shoe-obsessed "kangarshoes," two striped animals rescue him and unlock the exit gate. Finally, he has caught on to the punning names and guesses his rescuers to be "keybras," winning his prize. There's not much of a story here, and the wordplay seems more suitable for an older audience than the format and pictures suggest. Still, the playful cartoons are colorful and appealing, and they may inspire children to create a Jumble Jungle of their own.-Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

JOE MATHIEU has illustrated more than 100 childrens books, including many for Sesame Street. He lives with his wife in Brooklyn, Connecticut, where he enjoys bicycling and playing ragtime piano.
ROBERT SKUTCH is cofounder and director of the Foundation for Inner Peace in Mill Valley, California, and publisher of A Course in Miracles. His childrens book, WHO'S IN A FAMILY?, has sold over 30,000 copies. He has also written for television, radio, and the stage. He lives in Northern California.