In the new childrens' book Slithery Jake, the title character is a pet snake who gets lost in Sid's house.
Sid is a little boy. Some of the adults who surround him are scared silly -- with plenty of comic implications. But as the family's search for Jake continues, the story has its sad moments and a few scary surprises, too.
Rose-Marie Provencher wrote the tale for readers of pre-school age and up, with vivid, colorful illustrations by Abby Carter.
Daniel Pinkwater, the Weekend Edition ambassador to the world of children's literature, joins NPR's Scott Simon to discuss the tale and to read aloud.
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