There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea
Author: Jennifer Ward
Illustrated by Steve Gray
Publisher: Rising Moon (2006)

From our Purveyor of Books:
This book just begs to be read aloud! When I first read it I laughed so loudly everyone around me wanted to know what was so funny...well, I began to read it and pretty soon there was a crowd and everyone wanted to know what would happen to that Coyote next! In fact, it was such fun that I called my sister (a children's librarian) and read it over the phone to her! We had a great laugh and you will too!

 

"There was a coyote who swallowed a flea, Plucked from his knee, that tickly flea. Yippee-o-Ki-Yee!"

Skinny ol' Coyote delights readers of all ages as he swallows his way through this delicious southwestern-flavored retelling of a well-loved rhyme. As Coyote gets bigger, the story gets zanier as a bird, a bull, and even an entire cactus end up as dinner. It's pure fun for everyone-even that little flea. Call him silly to swallow a chile! Yippee-o-Ki-Yee!

 

About the Author:
Just like Coyote, Jennifer Ward has a voracious appetite ...for reading, writing, and books! She has written numerous books for children including The Seed and the Giant Saguraro, an Arizona Young Reader's Award honor book for the First Grade Book for the state of Arizona. Jennifer lives in Tucson, Arizona, where coyotes feed her imagination.

 

About the Illustrator:
From early on Steve Gray showed artistic promise by using his imagination to entertain. While living in Tucson as a kid, he was inspired by a trip to the Sonoran Desert Museum. He and his sister Pammy created their own "Wild West" exhibit in their backyard. The featured attraction, "The Ferocious Coyote," was played by their pet Chihuahua, Pancho, who was caged in an upside down laundry basket. Admission was 5 cents.

Hardcover. 32 pages. Ages 4-8 (but adults enjoy too!)