JOHN WILLY AND FREDDY McGEE

Meade (Minfong Ho’s Hush!, 1996, etc.) solos for this fine adventure about John Willy and Freddy McGee, guinea pigs whose caged existence is boring. On the day when the cage door is left open, the two daredevils scoot out and start to explore, through the living room and into the game room, where they find the great green landscape (and tunnels) of a pool table. John Willy and Freddy McGee are busy cruising the tunnels when the cat that has been observing them tries to drive the pair into the open by dropping balls into the pockets. John Willy and Freddy McGee are banged about and nearly squashed, but effect an escape and scurry back to the cage and safety. Don’t think of this as a cautionary tale on the perils of taking risks; instead, John Willy and Freddy McGee are the Lewis and Clark of their breed, finding not only the will to venture out, but the sense to know when it’s time to go home. Particularly remarkable is how Meade, through impressive cut-paper pictures, captures the guinea pigs in their vacant, caged stage, and then, with little anthropomorphization, fashions two personable adventurers, full of brio. (Picture book. 3-8)