Based on the children's chant of the title, this book extends the rhyme by introducing a cast of animal characters. Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? Cat? Puppy? Mouse? Squirrel? No, it's Bear, who feels pretty bad about his thievery. But the little girl looking for the culprit makes it all right when she leads the animal menagerie to the kitchen to bake more cookies. The bouncy rhyme is fun, but the excellent cut-paper collages are what really catch the eye. An enticement to reading. (Reviewed Aug. 1996)

PreS-Gr 1--An appealing offering based on the rhyme/game, "Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?" Cat, Puppy, and Mouse deny stealing the goodies, and each suggests another likely suspect. The text is bouncy and repetitive, so children who have played the game will be able to read it on their own. The illustrations--textured cut-paper collages, layered to provide depth--make the story complete. Readers can use the pictures for clues to the text and follow the cookie crumbs to find the real culprit, who says, "I'm a very sorry bear. But it's so hard to share." An enjoyable story that will work as a read aloud or read alone.--Sharon R. Pearce, San Antonio Public Library, TX