A cool, saxophone-playing cat from the sticks heads for the bright lights of the big city to find fame and fortune. Oobie-do John gets his first gig at Minnie's Can Do, a jumping joint that's long on jazz, but short on cash. To earn a living, he has to be a short-order cook at the Doggie Diner and play his horn for pennies at the town tourist traps, but he never skips a beat. Finally, Oobie-do's music begins to be the talk of the jazz scene, and that hip feline becomes the coolest cat of all. Here is a one-of-a-kind book with a great message-it encourages youngsters to do what they love, and to work at it to the best of their ability. Hubbard's vivid illustrations sparkle like the paintings of Matisse and offer just the right accompaniment to the jazzy text, which jumps across the pages and takes an occasional twist. Pre-readers may miss some of the subtlety here, but the fresh music of the narrative makes a terrific read-aloud. It will work just as well with older children because of its sassy style. Just pop in a cassette by Dizzy or Miles, and read, man, read. Virginia E. Jeschelnig, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.