The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse

　　被大野狼吃掉真的是全天下最慘的事嗎？
　　才不呢！大野狼的肚子，是我待過最完美的天地！

　　一天早上，可憐的小老鼠遇到了大野狼，很快就被飢餓的大野狼吞吃下肚。正當小老鼠哀嘆自己運氣有夠差時，卻突然驚訝地發現自己並不孤單，怎麼大野狼的肚子裡竟然還有一隻鴨子？

　　原來，大野狼的肚子裡超豪華的！除了漂亮的桌椅、美味的食物之外，還可以跳舞！平常沒事還有許多好東西會跑進大野狼肚子裡，生活在這裡真是不錯。

　　直到有一天，獵人出現了，如果獵人殺了大野狼，那麼小老鼠和鴨子就不能舒服地在大野狼肚子裡繼續住下去了，小老鼠和鴨子驚恐地想：「千萬不要呀！」

　　愛倫坡文學獎最佳童書得主麥克．巴內特（Mac Barnett）、凱迪克大獎雙料得主雍．卡拉森（Jon Klassen），這對童書界的黃金組合繼Triangle、《一直一直往下挖》（Sam & Dave Dig a Hole）後再度攜手合作，充滿創意的故事內容與幽默想像，讓你讀來不禁會心一笑。（文／博客來編譯）

　　They may have been swallowed, but they have no intention of being eaten... A new comedy from the unparalleled team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.

　　Early one morning a mouse met a wolf and was quickly gobbled up...When a woeful mouse is swallowed up by a wolf, he quickly learns he is not alone: a duck has already set up digs and, boy, has that duck got it figured out! Turns out it's pretty nice inside the belly of the beast - there's delicious food, elegant table settings and, best of all, dancing. And there's something more: no more fear of being eaten by a wolf! Life's not so bad, considering the alternatives. That is, until a hunter shows up... With a nod to traditional fables and a wink to the reader, the award-winning Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn and Triangle offer a tale of cooperation and creative cuisine that is sure to go down easy.

Review

　　The story’s timeless, fable-like feel is bolstered by its traditional cast and old-fashioned fairy-tale language: "Oh, woe!" cries the wolf. "Oh shame!" Life can turn the tables pretty quickly, Barnett suggests, and only those whose outlooks are flexible will flourish. "I may have been swallowed," says the duck, "but I have no intention of being eaten." A rare treasure of a story, the kind that seems to have been around forever.—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

　　Barnett and Klassen’s collaborations are always good for a laugh, and this one banks heavily on absurdity, to great effect. Klassen’s mixed-media artwork transforms the wolf’s interior into a delightfully domestic scene, and Barnett’s writing is peppered with amusing details. This original pourquoi tale will make a fantastic choice for storytimes, as kids will want to dance along with the duck and mouse—when they’re not rolling in the aisles, of course.—Booklist (starred review)

　　Barnett’s shrewd wit and subtle sense of irony come across expertly in short, snappy sentences, while the repeated refrain of "Oh woe!" and the pourquoi-tale ending lend the story a folkloric tone...Reminiscent of classic animal fables, with this winning team’s signature humor and charm, this is a first purchase for any picture book collection.—School Library Journal (starred review)

　　Klassen's signature palette, compositions, and comedic, horizontally elongated eyes are here along with the heightened action propelled by Barnett's narrative. Barnett wrestles Aesop and Grimm into pretzels, adding a groaner ending ("And that's why the wolf howls at the moon") for the mustard. A howl.—Kirkus Reviews