Dancing Deer and the Foolish Hunter (Action Packs) (ISBN 0525468323)

Amazon.com Review:
John Muir once said, "Whenever we try to isolate anything in the universe, we find that it's hitched up to everything else." Indeed. Storyteller and artist Elisa Kleven illustrates this quotation (included in the front matter) with no-less-than-fabulous collages in the exuberant picture book The Dancing Deer and the Foolish Hunter. The story begins when a coonskin-capped hunter--a rather crass, grumpy fellow--spies a deer joyfully dancing in the forest. It's not the reaction we'd expect from a hunter carrying a gun, but he instantly envisions a future for the deer in the circus... and a big pile of cash for himself. And, with a "lightning-swift swirl of his lasso, the hunter caught the deer." Of course, once ensnared in the hunter's home, the deer "crouched miserably in the corner" because, as she tells him, she needs the sweet singing of birds in order to dance. He goes to the forest to capture birds for her, but of course they won't sing without the "pine trees whistling along with them." ("'Trees, peas,'" scoffed the hunter. 'I'll whistle for them myself!'") You get the idea. Before long the hunter's abode is packed with woodland creatures, and still the deer won't dance. "'Hunter! Stop your foolishness!' the deer cried. 'Just put me back in the deep green forest, along with everything else, and I'll dance by myself!'" In a funny plot twist, the deer offers the hunter dancing lessons, so he can perform in the circus himself. Children will be drawn right into this story (no doubt feeling protective of the poor dancing deer in the hands of the greedy hunter), and will cheer the satisfying ending where the hunter dances happily ever after and the forest creatures are left in peace. The vibrant collages are wonderfully expressive and accessible, providing countless whimsical details for hours of close inspection. Highly recommended! (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Love the Foolish Hunter and the Dancing Deer!:
a great story with beautiful, colorful, rich pictures. the foolish hunter learns the lesson that everything on earth is connected-- water, air, plants and animals--none can live without the others. my kids loved it too!

Clever, Funny, and Engaging.....:
One day, deep in the forest, a hunter comes upon a dancing deer. "Would you look at that!" the hunter said, setting down his gun. "Wowie-kazowie, a dancing deer! A deer I can sell to the circus! Great gumballs-my fortune is made!" He lassos the little deer and takes her home with him. When he commands her to dance, she informs him that she needs music, the beautiful song of the birds to dance. The hunter goes back out to the woods, and captures two song birds. But the birds are too shy to sing without the wind whistling through the pine trees. The hunter digs up two small pines and brings them home, but they won't whistle without the gentle sea breeze, and of course the sea breeze won't blow without the "moving, inspiring" sea, and so on, and so forth. The poor exasperated hunter finds nothing will work the way it's supposed to. He'll never be able to sell the deer to the circus, and he'll never be rich. "Hunter! Stop your foolishness!" the deer cried. "Just put me back in the deep green forest, along with everything else, and I'll dance all by myself!" Elisa Kleven's original, action-packed, chain of events story, based on the John Muir quote, "whenever we try to isolate anything in the universe, we find that it's hitched up to everthing else," is filled with humor and the gentle message of interdependence and harmony in nature, that won't be lost on young readers. Her engaging text, with its zippy dialogue and wonderful sound effects, begs to be read aloud, and is enhanced by charming bold, bright, and busy illustrations. With a unique and satisfying, happily-ever-after ending to set everything right again, The Dancing Deer And The Foolish Hunter is a delightful, manic romp youngsters 3-7 won't want to miss, and is sure to be a storytime favorite.

A funny, enjoyable, and satisfying read-aloud story:
Written and illustrated by Elisa Kleven, The Dancing Deer And The Foolish Hunter is a delightful, full color picturebook with a charming, original story. A hunter captures a dancing, talking deer - but the deer explains that it can't dance without the singing of birds, and the bird's the hunter snares won't sing without the whistle of pine trees... ultimately, chain of events The Dancing Deer and the Foolish Hunter culminates in a valuable lesson about how silly it is to try to cage and isolate separate bits of nature. A funny, enjoyable, and satisfying read-aloud story, The Dancing Deer And The Foolish Hunter is highly recommended for family, school, and community picturebook collections for young readers ages 5 to 7.

A funny fable!:
Elisa Kleven does a marvelous job of reminding us of how inter-connected we all are. The Dancing Deer and the Foolish Hunter is an original fable with the qualities of a classic in its wise universalism charmingly presented in a beautiful picture book. The light touches and delightful humor, both visual and verbal, make this book a rare treat. I love the fish stick plopped into the fishbowl as a way to create seawater, and the hunter's taste in magazines, ranging from "Big Rigs" to "Gold Mine." The book is as much fun to read aloud as it is to look at.