In this retelling of a Peruvian folktale, Zorro the fox chases after Quwi the guinea pig, only to be outwitted at every turn. An engaging trickster tale for young readers, this story presents a charming inversion of the usual animal-fable motif of the clever fox. As Hickox informs the reader in her afterword, the mouse, rabbit and guinea pig can all function as a trickster in the Peruvian Quechua tradition, which leaves the fox to play the gullible fool.

Although I cannot say that Kim Howard’s colorful artwork here is a personal favorite – I found it a little blurry and indistinct at times – I did enjoy the story of Zorro and Quwi, and finished it with a desire to know more about this cavy trickster. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone with an appreciation for guinea pigs and their finer qualities! ( )

Zorro and Quwi is a tale based on legends of trickster animals from the Peruvian Andes. In the mountains of Peru, live a fox named Zorro and a guinea pig named Quwi. Every night Zorro madly chases Quwi because he wants to eat the guinea pig. Unfortunately for Zorro, Quwi is a cunning little rodent who always finds a way to outsmart the not-so-sly fox. Zorro endures injuries to his pride and his body because of Quwi’s tricks and eventually decides to give up his quest for the guinea pig. This story will seem familiar to fans of the cartoons Tom and Jerry and Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner. Zorro and Quwi is an entertaining tale enhanced by large, vibrant illustrations. There are also a few Spanish words and phrases for children to learn. ( )

A tricky fox lives in the mountains of Peru. A tricky, hungry fox!

Unfortunately for Zorro, Quwi, the plump guinea pig he chases every night, is hungry too - and even trickier! In a series of nightly encounters, Quwi outsmarts the hungry Zorro, who finally gives up.

Folktale enthusiasts will notice at least one classic trickster story; trading places in a trap after raiding a garden (at least that's the one I know). The other stories may or may not be familiar.

The author's note says these tales are based on a folktale collection from the 70s, with the guinea pig trickster as a mouse. However, the guinea pig as trickster is apparently a familiar figure in Peruvian folklore and his substitution for the original mouse gives the stories an interesting twist.

The writing is brisk and segues easily between the different episodes. Hickox has kept the folktale flavor without dating the stories or making them too contemporary. Kim Howard's illustrations are bright and chunky, using big splashes of color and broad outlines.

Verdict: This picturebook is a little long for reading aloud to the preschool crowd, although older children might enjoy it. The book is episodic enough to make it easy to adapt individual stories for telling aloud. Plus, it's got a guinea pig!

ISBN: 978-0385321228; Published February 1997 by Doubleday (out of print); Borrowed from the library; Added to my personal wishlist