MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE

Young Violet likes “sliding and slithering and shedding her skin whenever it got old,” as well as distinctly un-snakely activities such as racing with rabbits, hanging with bats and fooling around with chipmunks. One spring day, however, none of her friends is able to play; they are all getting ready for Mother’s Day. What’s a critter with no opposable thumbs, let alone arms, legs or teeth, to do? With a little sinuous ingenuity, Violet thinks up the perfect gift. While it’s clear that Krensky needs a snake for the plot’s payoff, by sacrificing everything behavioral that makes a snake a snake, he takes all possible zing out of his story. Ember’s illustrations are equally pallid; Violet has teeny fangs and what looks a little like a rattle, but it’s clear all she eats is marshmallows. (Picture book. 3-5)