Someone is stealing crops from the farmer’s field, and it’s up to Max the dog to stop the thief! When he hears a buzzing sound, Max runs off with a rope in his mouth in hopes of making a valiant arrest. But a little blue buzzing bug is not responsible, and in Stop, Thief!, by Heather Tekavec, the real thieves are just as clueless as Max!
Using mostly double-page spreads, Governor General award-winning illustrator Pierre Pratt gives kids a feel for the farmer’s expansive land. Rows of strawberries, fields of carrots, bushes of beans, and orchards of cherries appear vast compared to the small, but busy, farmer in the background. Max bounds across acres, trailing the thief, and kids will begin to see that his efforts are misguided when a series of animals vow to guard the crops. They’ll adore the goofy wide-eyed, big-toothed rabbit who–between nibbles– offers to watch over the carrots while Max continues his chase.
Heather Tekavec, an IRA/CBC Children’s Choice award-winning author, uses succinct verbs to keep the youngest of readers engaged: the animals buzz, squawk, bleat, and zip their way through this tale. She deftly gives kids the sense that none of the animals understand their contribution to the problem, all the while letting the kids in on the secret.
Whenever a reader has more insight into the story than the main character, you’re in for a boisterous read. Stop, Thief! is no exception.
Stop, Thief! by Heather Tekavec illustrated by Pierre Pratt Ages 3-7 978-1-77138-012-6 Kids Can Press
Jen Bailey teaches in the Professional Writing Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa. She holds an MFA in Writing from VCFA, and writes for children and young adults.
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