Personal encounters Book

Title: Zorro and Quwi: Tales of a Trickster Guinea Pig
Author: Rebecca Hickox
Illustrator: Kim Howard
Genre: Non-European Folktake (Peru)
Theme(s): Animals, Food
Opening Line/sentence:
In the mountains of Peru there was once a fox called Zorro who tried every night to catch Quwi the guinea pig.

Brief Book Summary:
Zorro the fox is after Quwi the guinea pig with the intention of eating him, however the clever guinea pig seems to find different ways to escape the fox's plans. After tricking the fox multiple times the fox becomes determined to finish Qwui off, but after one last trick the fox decides maybe the guinea pig isn't worth eating. In the end Quwi survives and the fox gives up on capturing Quwi.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Ilene Cooper (Booklist, December 15, 1996 (Vol. 93, No. 8))
Zorro the fox is after Quwi the guinea pig, but to Zorro's utter embarrassment, he is always outfoxed by the small critter. Based on Peruvian legends of trickster animals, this story trades in the traditional mouse for the guinea pig (an engaging author's note explains Hickox's reasons). The colorful illustrations featuring a bright red fox and a yellow guinea pig are a bit abstract, but children will like the energy and motion they exude. Kids will appreciate the story with its wily turnarounds, too. Good for story hours and primary-grade read-alouds.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1997)
Hickox adapts material from the Peruvian Andes to provide readers with a guinea pig trickster, Quwi, who outwits Zorro the fox. Every night Zorro hunts Quwi; forced to hide from Zorro, Quwi goes hungry until he finds both sanctuary and food in a garden. Then Quwi finds himself in the trap set by the owner of the garden. Zorro spots the guinea pig and believes he is to have his meal at last. Quwi is all too amenable, for, as he explains to Zorro, if left alive and uneaten he will have to marry the garden owner's beautiful daughter and live a life of luxury and ease. Zorro frees Quwi and climbs into the trap himself; in the morning, the garden's owner arrives with a big stick to whack Zorro's head. Similar outcomes in three more delightful episodes result in Zorro's readiness to give up the chase. Howard's vibrant, stylized illustrations get to the heart of the characters' emotions with verve and panache, perfectly complementing the dash and bite of the text.

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
This book, as stated by both the reviewer, is vibrant and uniquely illustrated using paint and defined brush strokes to make the book come alive. I agree with the reviews that this entices young readers to enjoy the playful story. Also the chase between the guinea pig and the fox seem to capture the reader's attention. The reviews were for this book were mostly positive, and this would indeed make a good read aloud.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The plot of this story really captures the reader's interest as he/she wonders what will happen to the guinea pig next. The humor in the fox's gullible nature makes the guinea pig seem very clever. This characterization really brings the story to life as Quwi talks his way out of trap the fox has planned. The bright colors and dialogue between the fox and guinea pig make this book exciting to match the twists and turns of the plot. Also the setting of this tale makes the characters appropriate considering both animals are commonly seen in Peru.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
This tale would make a great tool for practicing prediction skills. As a class this book could be read aloud and the class could stop and make predictions as to what the guinea pig might do to escape the fox, how the fox will react to the trick, and what the fox will do in response to being tricked. Also this book could springboard a culture study of Peru to learn more about the background of the story and how the book captures a Peruvian style in its language and illustrations.