Tiptoe Tapirs

K-Gr 2—Even in the peaceful jungle, you can hear the "BOOM-BOOM" of an elephant, the "BAM-BAM" of a rhinoceros, the "CAW-CAW" of a hornbill, and the "HOO-HAA-HOO-HAA" of an ape. But you can't hear Tapir and her little one. Ever silent and ever gentle, two tiptoeing tapirs take center stage in this retelling of a classic pourquoi tale. The thought of delicious mud cakes inspires the tapir pair to walk silently through the jungle, past the waterfall and along the river to the Great Puddle. When they reach their destination, they are pleased to see plenty of mud, when, suddenly…"THUD, THUD, THUD…GROWL!" Out of nowhere, a leopard attacks! With the softest steps, the tapirs try to escape. Just as the leopard has the tapirs in his clutches, a hunter's shotgun fires. "BANG! BANG! BANG!" Now the leopard must escape! With a "hush, hush," Tapir and Little Tapir show the leopard how to tiptoe to safety. Rich, traditional, and somewhat meditative watercolor-style artwork graces each page, while perfectly timed sounds and alliterations add to the suspense of the story. Rhymes and animal sounds make this an ideal choice for an action-based read-aloud.