The Ballad of Nessie by Kieran Lachlan, illustrated by Andy Harkness Ages 4+ 32 pages Disney Press May 2011 Hardcover     The Loch Ness Monster hasn’t always lived in the famous Scottish lake. As you’ll learn in this entertaining yarn, Nessie and her good friend, a duck named MacQuack, originally lived on the moors of Glen Keane. But when a developer named MacFroogle comes along and turns their bucolic home into a golf course, Nessie and MacQuack are forced to find a new place to live. The two look and look but can’t find anything. Eventually Nessie becomes so despondent that she begins to cry. The little green monster cries so hard and so long that, without even realizing it, her tears collect in a valley and create a new lake. Loch Ness becomes the new residence of Nessie and her wee friend. To this day, “they’re still there, I guess, still playin’ hide-and-seek”! This rhymed tale about the iconic Loch Ness Monster is sure to delight youngsters who love a story with a bit of a plot. It is ideal for the child who is about ready to begin reading since there’s enough text for a read-along session with mom and dad. Begin by having your youngster recite out loud the highlighted words and the end rhymes and build from there.     web reviews   Bob Walch/2012 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)