Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam

PreS-Gr 2—Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam are burglar dogs who fail miserably at every heist they attempt. They put together a plan to invite their neighbors to tea and to slip out and rob their houses while the other dogs enjoy themselves. They bake lots of yummy treats, including fruit pies, cupcakes, and doughnuts with raspberry jam. When the party is in full swing, the canine duo sneaks through the window and ventures out on their crime spree. Little do they know that the joke is on them—someone heard what they intended to do and spilled the beans. Their neighbors follow them and make a citizens' arrest. Realizing that robbing makes everyone sad, Shifty and Sam stumble across a possible career change—opening a GoodyDogs café. The story, written in rhyme and accompanied by Lenton's mixed-media illustrations, is lively and expressive. The baked treats look good enough to eat and will surely appeal to storyhour audiences. Each page contains a tiny spider that children will love to try to spot. Shifty and Sam are proud of their new way of honest living-"they never grumble or groan, they love baking cakes, and they leave crime alone."—Krista Welz, North Bergen High School, NJ