The Ballad of Wilbur and the Moose    by John Stadler Order:  USA  Can Random House, 2008 (1989) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson This is a reissued and revised edition of John Stadler's acclaimed Ballad of Wilbur and the Moose, originally published in 1989. It's a tale (told in rollicking verse and amusingly illustrated) of 'surely the weirdest cowboy / That ever hit the trail.' Whiskers sings the wacky ballad on his old banjo to cowboys - and their equally attentive horses - clustered around a fire: 'His name was Wilbur Little, / And he always drank lime juice. / He herded pigs for a living / And rode a big blue moose.' The moose, it turns out, is a heavyweight boxer named Alvin who teamed up with Wilbur while hitchhiking west. Together, they collect pigs - a reader, a singer, a cook, and ten more won from a gambler (he's a sore loser). 'They found more pigs along the way / And offered each the job / Of walking round and oinking / And eating like a slob.' When the villain of the piece invades their hog Eden with pig-rustlers, it's Wilbur, Alvin - and a cascade of lime juice - to the rescue! The Ballad of Wilbur and the Moose is wild, wacky fun. Kids of all ages will celebrate its rescue from obscurity - and its pugnacious ending. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews