Deep, deep down in their underground town, the prairie dogs live in harmony--until a mysterious, fluorescent, very fuzzy thing (otherwise known as a tennis ball) rolls down their hole. When the prairie dogs discover that they can pluck and pull the fuzz into fabulous fashions, their fear quickly turns to curiosity, then delight, then pure greed.

The frenzy that erupts threatens to tear apart the prairie-dog town forever. But when mean ol' Big Bark is kidnapped after taking all the fuzz for himself, the prairie dogs come to the rescue and remember the true meaning of community.

"The Stevens sisters (Cook-a-Doodle-Doo) prove that there's a lot of mileage to be gained from a wacky premise and some roly-poly prairie dogs. When Violet the pooch accidentally drops a tennis ball into a prairie-dog town, the rodents discover the malleable properties of the ball's light green fuzz and go wild: 'They fuzzed their ears, their heads, their noses.' In her full-bleed spreads (sometimes extending into a gatefold to play up the depth of the tunnels), Stevens likens the furry crowd to kids playing dress-up. The prairie dogs fashion Mohawks, tutus, superhero outfits and big fuzzy slippers from the stuff. Only one prairie dog seems immune: Big Bark, a blowhard with a bottle-cap hat. But Big Bark's disdain is just a front; when the other prairie dogs collapse from exhaustion ('Fuzzled out'), he steals all the fuzz — and turns himself into a blob of green that catches the eye of a prey-seeking eagle (in a bravura spread, its mass of black feathers morphs into a maelstrom of menace). Not surprisingly, the prairie dogs put aside their fuzz-based differences, and Big Bark finds a useful purpose for his belligerence. Stevens's watercolors make heroes of these curious critters. She plunges readers into an animated, earthy underworld, endows her furry cast with winning goofiness and turns the winged symbol of America into a figure of fear. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Deep in their underground town, the prairie dogs live in harmony--until a mysterious, very fuzzy thing (otherwise known as a tennis ball) rolls down their hole. The frenzy that erupts threatens to tear apart the prairie town forever. Full color.

JANET STEVENS is the author and illustrator of many popular books for children. Her picture books have garnered awards: including a Caldecott Honor, a Texas Bluebonnet Award, and an American Booksellers Book of the Year Honor. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

SUSAN STEVENS CRUMMEL is the author of a number of acclaimed picture books, many of which she's written with her sister, Janet Stevens. A former teacher, Ms. Crummel now spends her time writing and visiting schools as a guest author. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas.