Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Sep. 15, 2004 (Vol. 101, No. 2))
With echoes of "Tar Baby" and other African American trickster tales, this lively yarn from Peru and Bolivia focuses on Cuy, a wily guinea pig that uses its brain to outwit a hungry fox and a powerful farmer. The dramatic wood-block artwork, with thick black lines and bright watercolors, first shows tiny Cuy, high in the Andes Mountains, in search of something to eat. Along comes the fox Tio Antonio hunting Cuy, who escapes by convincing the fox that the sky is falling and tricking him to hold it up with a rock. Later, after being trapped by a farmer's sticky gum doll and marked for the farmer's dinner, Cuy deceives the fox into taking his place. Knutson, who has lived in Peru, includes an author's note as well as a glossary and pronunciation guides for the Spanish and Quechua words that are part of the text. An appealing tale of a trickster being tricked, this has solid child appeal. Category: Books for the Young--Nonfiction. 2004, Carolrhoda, $16.95. PreS-Gr. 2.

Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature)
Elements of Chicken Little and Breh Rabbit and the Tar Baby can be found in this clever trickster tale from South America. Cuy Guinea Pig is quick to act and always one step ahead of the wily fox whose only desire is to enjoy Cuy as a tasty meal. Cuy resorts to hilarious tricks to outwit fox, from telling fox that the world is ending in a rain of fire, to getting caught by the sticky gum doll in the alfalfa field and convincing fox that if he changes places with him he can marry the farmer's daughter and eat chicken everyday. It is easy to root for this spunky little critter and equally easy to have some sympathy for the hapless fox. Vibrant paintings in muted earth tones with a heavy black outline reflect the flavor of the locale in the Andean dress and the landscape. A source note provides background for the tale and a pronunciation guide helps with the Spanish words scattered throughout the text. In the best folkloric tradition this is a tale filled with charm, and humor. 2004, CarolRhoda Books, $16.95. Ages 6 to 10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 15))
From Anansi the Spider to B'rer Rabbit, trickster tales appear in cultures the world over. Knutson offers a less familiar trickster in the lovable Cuy the Hamster of Peru. The gullible T'o Antonio the Fox is his most constant victim, for the quick-thinking Cuy can ever turn near defeat into smashing victory. He manages to get the fox to hold up a rock to prevent the sky from falling and to hide in a den to await the fiery end of the world. He also fools a farmer into thinking he's a very small field worker so he can eat an endless supply of alfalfa. Even an encounter with a sticky figure à la "Tar Baby" turns into triumph. Using heavy black outline and tones of blues, browns, and yellows, the wood-block illustrations zoom in on the characters and capture all the humor of the zany situations. An all-around laugh-out-loud delight. 2004, Carolrhoda, 32p, $16.95. Category: Picture book/folktale. Ages 6 to 10. Starred Review. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Timnah Card (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October 2004 (Vol. 58, No. 2))
High in the green hills under the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, Cuy the Guinea Pig repeatedly outsmarts Tío Antonio the Fox, leaving the poor predator tired, hungry, and humiliated. Moss green, earth brown, jewel blue, and sunset gold invigorate the heavily textured, woodblock-style spreads, through which Cuy and his compadres romp along the sweeping lines of mountain slope and valley bowl. Lean nuggets of rollicking text read equally well before a group or by oneself, and Cuy's sassy rejoinders make this Brer Rabbit analogue an engaging standout. A Spanish-vocabulary pronunciation guide and glossary aid monolingual readers, and an author's note cites print and human sources from Bolivia and Peru for this traditional folktale and explains the use of a guinea pig as protagonist. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, Carolrhoda, 32p, $16.95. Ages 4-7 yrs.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2005)
The plot twists and turns energetically in this delightfully sly Peruvian folktale in which Cuy the Guinea Pig, to avoid being eaten, tricks Tío Antonio the Fox three times. Knutson's robust prints are remarkably effective in conveying expressions and humor. An author's note discusses sources, and a glossary/pronunciation guide translates the Spanish words and phrases that infuse the narrative. Category: Nonfiction-Folktales and Nursery Rhymes. 2004, Carolrhoda, 40pp, 16.95. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 1: Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration.