No Hay Quien Gane a Un Leopardo!

K-Gr 3-On field day at his school, Jeremy the monkey is determined to win as many events as possible, even though his mother advises him simply to do his best. Ward's animal characters exhibit the strengths that children might expect of them the rhinoceros is great at tug-of-war, and the kangaroo excels at long jump. The text and illustrations work well together to tell the complete story, with some of the dialog included only in cartoon balloons. Jeremy's focus on winning is believable, as is his decision to pair up for the three-legged race with his best friend, the turtle, instead of the speedy leopard. A little less likely is Jeremy's victory in the sprint, achieved only because the leopard trips on a bit of cord still tied to his leg from the three-legged race. Some young readers may likewise trip on a few second-person plural verb forms and many of the names carried over from the U.K. original which might better have been substituted by Spanish names. Even so, children will enjoy the brightly charming illustrations and the child's-eye view of stress, success, and disappointment. Recommended for school and public libraries/ bookstores. Coop Renner, Paul C. Moreno Elementary School, El Paso, TX