The Gum-Chewing Rattler

Respected raconteur Joe Hayes is built for tall talesmdashhersquos got the worldrsquos longest legs And Joemdashwho travels all over the United States telling stories to kidsmdashsays that The Gum-Chewing Rattler is the perfect tall tale for kids because it combines so many familiar experiencesmdashchewing lots of bubblegum getting in trouble in school driving your mom crazymdashwith the wild impossible claim that a certain rattlesnake chewed gum and blew a bubble with it Couple that with kidsrsquo natural fascination with poisonous snakes and The Gum-Chewing Rattler turns out to be one of Joersquos most requested storiesJoersquos been telling this wild story for years since before when he took those long legs of his out on the road But now that old gum-chewer is here for the first time in a picture book with full-color illustrations by Antonio Castro LHerersquos how Joersquos story goes When Joe was a boy he chewed lots of bubblegum his mom got so mad because the gum in his shirt pocket made a terrible mess in the wash But this wad of bubblegum just happened to save Joe from a rattlesnakersquos fangsReallyDonrsquot worrymdashhis mother didnrsquot believe the story either.