PreS-Gr 1 Fox and Raccoon are best friends who enjoy playing together every day. But one day, Fox is much too busy to play, so Raccoon decides to help with the errands and chores so that Fox will have time to play later. He gets so caught up in helping, he does not realize that all these preparations are for his own surprise birthday party. Although the story is somewhat predictable, the friendship is no less endearing. Readers and listeners will appreciate the lovely full-bleed, 3-D mixed-media collage illustrations which include fleece animals, felt and wood backgrounds, and food made out of polymer clay. VERDICT An enjoyable woodland adventure for one-on-one and small group read-alouds. Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR