Children show a particular fascination with repetitive sentences. According to some theories, folk tales have a powerful effect on children's unconscious minds. Please Give Back My Tail is a picture book that combines both of these elements — and it's a Caldecott Medal winner. A thirsty fox drinks up an old woman's milk and finds himself in big trouble. Furious, the old woman snips off his tail! The poor fox cries and cries, but the old woman refuses to give his tail back until he brings her more milk. Wiping away his tears, the fox goes to the cow for milk. But nothing comes for free! The cow demands grass, the field demands water, fetching water from the stream requires a jug, and the young woman who owns the jug demands a blue glass bead. With each page turn, the fox's chain of favors grows longer and longer: "...then the young woman will give me the jug, and I'll fetch water for the field, and the field will give me grass for the cow... and then I'll get my tail back." The poor fox must recite his ever-lengthening plea again and again. As the fox's story grows line by line, readers can't help but laugh — while also wondering how it will all turn out. It's a story that will leave both the reader and the listening child breathless with delight. And hidden within it is the timeless lesson of folk tales: everything comes at a price. The illustrations by Nonny Hogrogian, who was born in the United States but deeply influenced by her Armenian heritage, are wonderfully distinctive. Be sure to compare the fox's downcast, pitiful expression at the start with his proud expression once he's holding a sack of grain at the end!