Gr 3-6-The old story of an outcast who triumphs over adversity gets a desert wildlife reworking here, and the result is a thoroughly engaging tale. The young roadrunner had everything going for him. He was going to earn his new name and become a full-fledged adult. However, when he is bitten on the feet by a baby rattlesnake, he has reason to believe that his life is essentially over. He does survive, though, and his parents name him Thunderfoot for his permanently gigantic feet, and he feels like a freak of nature. Fortunately, he is soon galvanized into action by a clever gopher tortoise, causing him to prove himself not just to the other roadrunners, but to the world as well. Thunderfoot begins as a cocky young ne'er-do-well, maturing believably into a worldly bird. It's a relief to read a book in the animal point-of-view style that offers engaging dialogue, action, and plot without relying on old tropes. This chapter book would make a good introductory title for those kids who might also enjoy Erin Hunter's "Warriors" series (HarperCollins) or Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing (S & S, 1997).-Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

After a young roadrunner is bitten by a rattlesnake, his feet swell to an enormous size. At first this seems to be a handicap as he stumbles around the desert and nearly ends up as a meal for a coyote. After taking the advice of a wise old tortoise, though, the roadrunner, now called Thunderfoot, undergoes an exercise program, making his legs and wings much stronger than the average roadrunner's. The newly pumped-up Thunderfoot hammers the local predators and winds up his days as a legendary figure in the animal world. Wallace creates a lively fantasy, with a cliff-hanging closing for nearly every chapter. Along the way, he slips in some facts about the life of roadrunners and the natural world of the desert as well as Native American rituals. A light, adventurous, and briskly paced animal fantasy.