Description:
One sleepless night, Babar's son Alexander steps onto the terrace to look at the moonlit sky. But it's not the moon filling the sky with brightness. Alexander is startled to see a luminous red and gold bird gliding towards him, clapping his beak: "Tash! Succotash! What are you doing here so late?" The young elephant is delighted to discover that this marvelous bird is in fact a wizard. After partaking of the Succotash Bird's magical charms, Alexander bids him farewell. The very next day, on a hike with his family, Alexander meets his fine-feathered friend again... or does he? As the Succotash Bird warned him the evening before, "sometimes it's hard to tell friend from foe." This curious addition to the classic Babar series provides an interesting, yet somewhat odd lesson in recognizing that things are not always as they seem. Alexander's nightmarish education via the bad wizard is a bit harsh, with little to comfort him other than a lucky save by his mother and the good wizard. Laurent de Brunhoff, building upon his father Jean de Brunhoff's original seven Babar stories, including Babar the King and The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, has created more than 30 books about the world's most beloved pachyderm. Laurent de Brunhoff brings to life the adventures of Babar and his family with his tremendously appealing, loosely colored and outlined illustrations. Babar, once met, will remain with every reader for life. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter
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