Marsupial Sue Presents: The Runaway Pancake

Book Title: Marsupial Sue Presents: The Runaway Pancake
Author: John Lithgow
Illustrated by: Jack E. Davis
Includes CD: John Lithgow performs “The Runaway Pancake” live
32 pages
Text Copy write: 2005
Hard Cover ISBN: 0-689-67847-8
Publisher: Simon and Schuster books for young readers
Review by: Allen Klingelhoets

First. This story is set up as a play. A kangaroo named Marsupial Sue presents a play called “The Runaway Pancake”. Many of her animal friends were part of play as actors. This is story of why should never bake pancake in a hot oven. The pancake came alive and escaped from oven. The pancake escaped capture from many animals that wanted to eat it for meal. Pancake rolled away from each animal that wanted to eat it for meal. Pancake sang songs about how each animal could not catch him. I think sort of like the old Gingerbread Man story. I really enjoyed also listening to John Lithgow telling story as he envisioned how happened on CD. The pancake rolled away from one animal after another that wanted to eat it. The play wrote by Marsupial Sue had startling conclusion. The pancake got away from Kangaroo that made it and put in oven, an old dog, a cow, a donkey, wolf and a bear. I wonder what happened when The Runaway Pancake met a sly fox?

This is one of many children’s books wrote by John Lithgow. I think about 300 words of text. The artist Jack E. Davis did great job with illustrations that really complemented John Lithgow’s text.

I would suggest getting book through library. ”Marsupial Sue Presents: The Runaway Pancake” was published in 2005. This is sequel to “Marsupial Sue”. I loved the songs in story sang by The Runaway Pancake. The reading age is 2-6. I think parents would feel very comfortable reading this story to children.

The author’s website is:
www.Johnlithgow.com



Allen Klingelhoets