The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Tales of Indonesia and Malaysia — Aaron Shepard

"I'm quick and smart as I can be. Try and try, but you can't catch me "

Mouse Deer sings his song as he walks through the forest looking for tasty fruits and roots and shoots. Though he is small, he is not afraid. He knows that many big animals want to eat him -- but first they have to catch him

In these delightful trickster tales from Southeast Asia, find out how Mouse Deer gets the best of his enemies -- Tiger, Crocodile, and the most dangerous animal of all, Farmer

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Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society.

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"A retelling of some of Southeast Asia's most popular folklore .... Simply narrated, The Adventures of Mouse Deer is witty and steeped in the power of myth, as well as high-spirited determination.... A] delightful introduction to an enduring legend."-- Small Press Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review, May 2005

"Mouse Deer's small stature leaves him vulnerable in the jungle, but Crocodile, Tiger, and Farmer are no match for this quick-witted, fearless creature. Give this book to children making their first forays into chapter books, and visit the author's Web site to download readers theater scripts." -- Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal, Dec. 1, 2009

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SAMPLE

Then he heard something. ROWR

There was Tiger

"Hello, Mouse Deer. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be my lunch."

Mouse Deer didn't want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast. He saw a mud puddle.

"I'm sorry, Tiger. I can't be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his pudding."

"His pudding?" said Tiger.

"Yes. There it is." Mouse Deer pointed to the mud puddle. "It has the best taste in the world. The King doesn't want anyone else to eat it."

Tiger looked longingly at the puddle. "I would like to taste the King's pudding."

"Oh, no, Tiger The King would be very angry."

"Just one little taste, Mouse Deer The King will never know."

"Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me."

"All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now."

Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.

"Imagine " said Tiger. "The King's pudding " He took a big mouthful.

Phooey He spit it out.

"Yuck Ugh Bleck That's no pudding. That's mud "

Tiger ran through the forest. Rowr He caught up with Mouse Deer.

"Mouse Deer, you tricked me once. But now you will be my lunch "