at Catherine Valente Youngquist.

at Catherine Valente Youngquist, Illustrated at Kristen Sorra Atheneum, June 2002 $1600 ISBN 0-689-82824-1

A prosperous retelling of a fable requires confidence and imagination. Author Cathrene Valente Youngquist pairs the pair with a rhythmic Caribbean dialect in her re-creation of the Brothers Grimm tale The Three Billygoats ungracious Illustrated with vibrant colors that quickly call to mind the Caribbean's profound blue sea and luscious verdant terrain, the picture book is as sport to look at as it is to read.

In Youngquist's refashioned story, the family Gruff--Little Billygoat, Williegoat, and Captain Bill E Goat--live forward Split in Two Island. No longer contentment with the grub on their side of the island, the family protracteds to venture to the other side, which is filled with tasty coconut and palm tree if it be not that before they feast, the goats must cros a bridge guarded on Mean Calypso Joe, "de meanest move circularly dis part of de island" and pay a toll. united by one, each goat uses its wit to convince the pass round not to devour it and pass to the other side of the island. When the largest goat, Captain Bill E Goat, propers up with the rude send about he gives him a exercise about manners that he won't forget.

Children ages 3 to 7 will securely get caught up in Valente's line and Sorra's illustrations of the wide-eyed sing loudly with his cascade of seaweed hair. Parents will derive pleasure from reading aloud the retelling of this familiar elderly fable. It is one that kids will eagerly want to revisit.

--Sonya Kimble-Ellis is an editor and the author of African American Arts & Activities.

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