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PRESCHOOL Andreasen, Dan With a Little Help from Daddy 32 pp. McElderry ISBN 0-689-84565-0 15.95
(5) A shiny blue elephant is the tallest, fastest, and strongest child on his block when, as the art clearly shows, his father pitches in. The illustrations of large, rounded figures inhabiting a simplified world do little to draw readers into the story. The text is equally slight-one joke is drawn out page after page with little verbal or narrative interest. MVK
Appelt, Kathi Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night
32 pp. Harcourt ISBN 0-15-204593-7 16.00
(4) Illustrated by Arthur Howard. Baby Bubba and his best buddy Beau, a puppy, have a long day before night-night time, but they still aren't ready to go to sleep. Although the good-old-boy narration is witty, it does a bit too much winking at an adult audience. But fans of Bubba and Beau: Best Friends shouldn't hesitate, and Howard's pictures offer a lively competition between baby and puppy for who has the biggest eyes-and jowls. RS
Appelt, Kathi Incredible Me!
32 pp. HarperCollins ISBN 0-06-028622-9 15.99 LE ISBN 0-06-028623-7 16.89
(3) Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. A little girl spends the length of this book telling us what makes her unique ("Nobody's cowlick stands up like mine / Nobody's freckles are this divine," etc.). That the upbeat rhymes don't grow tiresome should be credited to Appelt's resourcefulness and to Karas's jubilant images of a redhead with cyclone pigtails striking Broadway-musical poses as she sings her own praises. NB
Araki, Mie The Magic Toolbox: Starring Fred and Lulu
32 pp. Chronicle ISBN 0-8118-3564-2 14.95
(4) Rabbit Fred is consistently outshined by rhinoceros Lulu, an ace at block building. When Fred laments aloud his frustration, a magic toolbox appears and pledges its assistance. The story ends predictably, but its humor (in addition to tools, the toolbox contains lollipops and BandAids) and unusual illustrations (carved plywood printed on rice paper with watercolors) add freshness to the familiar kids'-book theme of perseverance. NB
Ashman, Linda Babies on the Go
32 pp. Harcourt ISBN 0-15-201894-8 16.00
(3) Illustrated by Jane Dyer. All children seem to find both babies and animals endlessly interesting, so this rhyming exploration of how human and various animal babies are transported by their parents is a...
