NOAH'S SQUARE DANCE
by Rick Walton & illustrated by Thor Wickstrom
Walton (How Many, How Many, How Many, 1993, not reviewed, etc.) puts a new twist on a familiar biblical tale that evokes all the spirit of a barnyard hoedown. While the rain pounds the ark, Noah calls out the rhyming verses with the beat of a traditional square dance. ``Do-si-do your corners all! Walk or waddle, hop or crawl.'' Giving credence to the whole event are the folksy, cheerful illustrations of animals and Noah's family in formation, which complement the inventive rhymes: ``Around the ark march two by two. Stop to wheel that caribou.'' The final, joyful verse celebrates the end of the storm, but readers will believe that everyone had a good time waiting it out. (Picture book. 3-5)