THELONIUS TURKEY LIVES!

All of the other turkeys on Felicia Ferguson’s farm have disappeared, and Thanksgiving being just around the corner, it’s time for chubby Thelonius to fret—especially considering the way Felicia keeps feeding him and plucking his tail feathers. Casting about for ways to fight back, Thelonius waddles into action, enlisting the help of farmyard allies to subject Felicia to a week of milky showers, pigs in her bed and other pranks. Then on the last day, Felicia plunks him into the pickup, promising to show him “the new block in town.” New butcher’s block, Thelonius thinks glumly—but no, it’s a hat factory, where his feathers adorn chapeaus being sent to all corners of the globe. “I’ll be stuffed!” he exclaims, “I’m a hat entrepreneur. A fashion phenom!” Reed places flat, Maira Kalman–style painted figures, along with swatches of cloth, photos of small objects, scattered lines of text and drifts of gaily colored feathers against single color backgrounds for loud, whimsical illustrations that suit this holiday tale perfectly. And what better lagniappe than a pair of sugary recipes at the end? (Picture book. 6-8)