Ages 3^-5. A children's rhyme is given visual expression in this colorful picture book. "Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?" is the repeated question, which is followed by protests from various animals being accused of cookie theft. Ashley Wolff sets the illustrations in the American Southwest; a skunk, dressed western style, with a bandana, a vest, and a cowboy hat, plays detective, searching for clues and asking about the cookies. The artwork is bright and cheerful, ending with a double-page spread of all the animals (and the guilty ants) munching cookies in the moonlight. Directions for playing a game based on the rhyme, plus music for the rhyme, preface the story. --Todd Morning

PreS-Gr 2-A picture-book adaptation of the familiar childhood game featuring animal characters. Wolff's distinctive watercolor-and-pen art brings the lively chant to life. The title page shows Skunk taking cookies out of an oven, but by the first page of the story, the cookie jar is empty. Accompanied by Lizard, he ventures out into a desert landscape accusing, in turn, a number of animals of taking his baked goods. Each illustration provides a visual clue to which creature Skunk will approach next. A feather on the ground leads to Raven, and so on. The authors expand on the game by allowing each animal to respond with an alibi of sorts. For example, Beaver replies, "Who, me?/Couldn't be!/My favorite snack/Is sticks in a stack." Children will enjoy the challenge of solving the mystery and astute observers will notice the clues provided on the front cover and title page. In the happy ending, the culprit Ants invite all of the animals to share Skunk's cookies, and the baker himself doesn't seem to mind. This book includes instructions to play the circle game, and the music and guitar chords necessary to sing the song. Fun for storytimes and for one-on-one sharing.-Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Using the familiar chant as a starter, this rhyme, which lacks the strong rhythm of the original, asks who took the cookies, then blames various animals. Bright watercolor illustrations set in the Southwest show Skunk following clues from one animal to the next, until at last he discovers the ants with the cookies. Music for the song and directions for playing the game are included. From HORN BOOK Spring 2001, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The familiar children's playground chant, "Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar," is broadened here into a picture-book mystery that's a delight to view, but less successful as a read-aloud. When a skunk goes to the cookie jar to get cookies to go with his milk, all he finds are crumbs. In turn, he asks his friends mouse, raven, squirrel, rabbit, turtle, raccoon, snake, beaver, and frog if they have taken the treats. The individual denials and the connecting refrain, "Then who took the cookies? The jar was full! Where did they go? Mmm . . . Oh! . . . Now I know . . ." strain, and the added words throw off the easy rhythm of the original. But Wolff's (Each Living Thing, p. 56, etc.) white-framed watercolor and pen-on-paper illustrations are bold and lively, expanding on the brief text. The setting is a desert expanse with cactus and wildflowers in bloom and a stream meandering through. Wolff introduces skunk on the title page as he holds a steaming tray of chocolate chip cookies, and a lizard accompanies skunk throughout his search, which lasts well past nightfall. They follow visual clues such as the trail of cookie crumbs and various footprints, the search culminating in a moonlit celebration. It won't take observant viewers too long, however, to guess the culprits, as a line of ants parades across the front left endpaper. They are pointing to a page where the game is explained, with suggested variations, and a melody and guitar chords are provided for singing the original song. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.