Rattlesnakes and storyteller Joe Hayes must have a thing for each other. Joe’s teamed up again with Antonio Castro to tell us how one day he saved a rattlesnake’s life. Sure enough, that made the rattlesnake so happy he followed Joe home. The snake became Joe’s pet. Just like a dog. Oh, wow, Joe’s tall tales get taller every year!

Soft Child, a poor gentle snake, is worried about getting stepped on as he moves on his belly across the desert. The other animals, especially Jackrabbit, are relentless in their pursuit of this defenseless creature, until Sky God comes up with a lasting solution to the problem--and Soft Child becomes known as "Rattlesnake".

Respected raconteur Joe Hayes is built for tall tales—he’s got the world’s longest legs! And Joe—who travels all over the United States telling stories to kids—says that The Gum-Chewing Rattler is the perfect tall tale for kids because it combines so many familiar experiences—chewing lots of bubblegum, getting in trouble in school, driving your mom crazy—with the wild, impossible claim that a certain rattlesnake chewed gum and blew a bubble with it. Couple that with kids’ natural fascination with poisonous snakes, and The Gum-Chewing Rattler turns out to be one of Joe’s most requested stories. Joe’s been telling this wild story for years, since before 1980, 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 L. Here’s how Joe’s 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 rattlesnake’s fangs! Really!! Don’t worry—his mother didn’t believe the story either.

Twice upon a time, a long, long, time ago only yesterday, I was riding my horse named "Giddy-Up". All of a sudden, Giddy-Up stopped. What do you think I saw?

My Pet Rattlesnake is an interactive story between storyteller and children. Feel free to adlib your own words. Usually, whatever the children say, the storyteller says something different. "Do you want to hear about my pet dog, my pet cat, or my pet rattlesnake?" (If students respond dog or cat, you say "Sadly, it ran away." And pretend to wipe away the tears from your eyes for several dramatic seconds.

Some people are afraid of snakes, but other people fondly adore them as pets. Young readers learn about the food, water, living space, and other things pet snakes need to be healthy and happy. Having a snake as a pet may seem intimidating, but this helpful narrative prepares readers by showing them how to safely own a pet snake. Readers who already have a pet snake will find the examples and captivating, full-color photographs fun and relatable.

Willful Baby Rattlesnake throws tantrums to get his rattle before he's ready, but he misuses it and learns a lesson. Adapted by Lynn Moroney.