Orchard Books.

Orchard Books

557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999

www.scholastic.com

For an old-fashioned story of yesteryear, tune in to James Mayhew's KATIE'S SUNDAY AFTERNOON (0439606780, $16.95), following young Katie's visit to an art museum on a hot summer day, where a painting of a group of swimmers in a cool river prompts her to dive--right into the painting. The ensuing flood could ruin the art museum unless Katie can take quick action. Boys will appreciate Alexander Zane's WHEELS ON THE RACE CAR (0439590809, $14.95), following the chaotic action on an animal-driven racetrack which matches a classic rhyme with uncommon action. Real race car drama is captured with zany animal racers in a whimsical, fun story. Elizabeth Swados' THE ANIMAL RESCUE STORE (0439554764, $16.95) receives fun drawings by Anne Wilson as it tells of tough tabby cats, snooty llamas, and frightening tarantulas: all hard creatures to rescue, and all given their own rhymes by Swados along with colorful drawings. Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken's THE QUILT MAKERS JOURNEY (0439512190, $17.95) tells of a young girl who leaves home in search of the meaning of happiness outside her village. Instead, her search shows her there are less fortunate people in the world--and that she can help them. A lovely fable which will benefit from parental read-aloud--as will Philip Pullman's ALADDIN AND THE ENCHANTED LAMP (0439692555, $16.95), illustrated with many full-page drawings by Sophy Williams and requiring good reading skills or parental assistance as it tells of a poor mischief-maker and lazy boy whose encounter with enchantment changes his life. Caroline Jayne Church's ONE SMART GOOSE (0439687659, $16.95) is an easy reader requiring little adult assistance as it tells of a sneaky fox who chases all the geese except one. What's the lonely little goose's anti-fox secret? Paeony Lewis' NO MORE COOKIES! (0439683327, $16.95) receives Brita Granstrom's fun drawings and tells of the bottom of the cookie tin--and a girl and her stuffed monkey's plans to get more cookies. Florence invents zany ways to get more; but her mother has eually zany lesson plans. Jon J. Muth's ZEN SHORTS (0439339111, $16.95) will require some reading skills or parental assistance but provides an engaging, unusual story of a giant panda who moves into the neighborhood and tells amazing stories. Lovely watercolors accompany a host of engaging tales. Jane Wattenberg's NEVER CRY WOOF! (0439216753, $16.95) retells a tale of bragging, boasting, and lying, reviving an Aesop fable with new puns, rhymes, and dog photos mixed with fun reflections. An excellent and fresh new treatment of an old fable. Richard Jesse Watson's THE MAGIC RABBIT (0590479644, $15.95) tells the winning story of an unusual rabbit who discovers a hat can be powered by his own imagination. The rabbit becomes a magician and the hat becomes a flurry of activity in this fun tale of magic exploration. Nancy Tafuri's GOODNIGHT, MY DUCKLING (0439398819, $16.95) tells of a mama duck who leads her tired kids home for the night. One feisty duckling lags beyond to play with the pond animals, only to find he's been left behind: how can he catch up? THE RED BIRD by Astrid Lindgren and Marit Tornqvist (0439627966, $16.95) comes from the creator of PIPPI LONGSTOCKING and provides a fine picturebook story of two children who live with the sternest farmer in the village. The kids are overworked and friendless until a lovely red bird leads them to a beautiful haven: they can stay forever, if they make a terrible choice. Good reading skills required from grades 3-5 for appreciation of this complex yet winning tale.

Diane Donovan

West Coast Editor