Alice Cary

Wolves starts out tamely, as a floppy-eared rabbit goes to the library to check out a red book titled Wolves. Look closely, however, and you'll notice that Rabbit's red book looks exactly like the book you're reading. Pay careful attention, because this is one of the most clever picture books that has come along in a long time. This book-within-a-book is one that kids will enjoy returning to, and pondering. As Rabbit starts to read his book, he also learns a few facts about wolves. For instance, he reads that Gray wolves live in packs of between two and ten animals. We see a pack of seven wolves jumping out of a box with their teeth bared.

As the wolves in the book try to stalk Rabbit, he reads on obliviously. Consider, for example, the clump of trees shown as Rabbit reads about wolves living in forests. British author-illustrator Emily Gravett has drawn the tree trunks and leaves in the shape of a wolf and a rather fierce one, at that. Rabbit is so engrossed in his book that he doesn't notice that he is getting closer and closer to the wolf. He climbs up a tail of bushy hair, wades through thick fur on his back, and finally ends up on the tip of the wolf's nose, as the wolf waits, licks his lips and holds a knife and fork ready for a rabbit feast. Finally, Rabbit reads that wolves also enjoy [eating] smaller mammals, like beavers, voles and . . . This stunning sentence suddenly jolts Rabbit into awareness, and he realizes he is about to be eaten. The close-up of the wolf's gleaming eyes and Rabbit's wide-eyed look of realization is hilarious.

The next telltale spread simply features the red cover of the book, which has obviously been ripped to shreds during the wolf's feeding frenzy.

Gravett's animals are stately, yet very funny, a combination not often seen in children's literature. A concluding page points out that no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book, adding: It is a work of fiction. As for the ending, I won't spoil the author's final stroke of comedy.

Alice Cary keeps the wolf from the door in Groton, Massachusetts.

Waiting for a baby to be born is more agonizing than waiting for Christmas, as any sibling-to-be knows. When young Iris asks about the impending arrival of her cousin, grownups give her a variety of frustrating answers.

Her father tells her soon, but not too soon, and not too long. Her grandfather advises her to be on the lookout for a giant stork. Grandma tells Iris that she must wait for the right moment in the cabbage patch. Iris' friend tells her that her aunt's belly will first grow as big as a pumpkin, and that her aunt needs to eat 1,000 ice cream sundaes with pickles on top.

Despite these typical but confusing words of wisdom, Iris waits patiently, looking forward to teaching her cousin to make snow angels, to wish on dandelions and to learn how to swim. Finally, of course, Cousin Gregory does arrive.

National Book Award Winner Kimberly Willis Holt has written a sweet text filled with humor, anticipation and love, perfect for any child waiting for a baby. Greatly adding to the pleasure of the story are the exceptional illustrations by Gabi Swiatkowska. In an era when minimalist, almost childlike drawings seem to be the standard, here is a book filled with exquisite paintings and detail reminiscent of the great masters. Swiatkowska has drawings on every page that could have come from Da Vinci's invention sketchbooks. In her intricate illustrations we see a helmeted stork arriving on an elaborate pulley and a ladder reaching to the heavens.

Iris finally decides that Waiting for a baby is like waiting for a show to begin. The characters here all wear old-fashioned, costume-like clothes, as though they might be getting ready for a play or circus. Indeed, Waiting for Gregory is a lovely show guaranteed to enthrall young readers.

Alice Cary is a writer in Groton, Massachusetts.

Charlie is a boy after my own heart, a budding survivalist, ready for anything Just in Case, which is the title of this delightful book. To say that Charlie likes to be prepared is an understatement. If it rains hard, he gets out his raincoat, boots, goggles, umbrella and inflatable boat, just in case it rains so hard that the furniture starts to float. He once has a sudden worry that food stores might suddenly close for a long time, so he gets busy making 117 peanut butter sandwiches. What Charlie probably needs is a psychiatrist, but instead he gets a bossy, mean baby-sitter, when his favorite sitter isn't available. So he makes sure the new one doesn't want to come back by washing his feet in the toilet, wearing his shoes on his ears and painting his face a horrid green.

After describing each of Charlie's amusing antics, author Judith Viorst offers this refrain: Charlie likes to be ready, just in case. When you see Viorst's name on a book, you know you're in for a treat. She's the author of the classic series about a boy named Alexander, the first being Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Her characters are based on real emotions, but their angst is always presented with immense humor. She's accomplished this balance yet again with Just in Case.

Viorst has paired up with illustrator Diana Cain Bluthenthal, and the partnership is definitely a winning combination. Bluthenthal works in brightly colored mixed media and her humor adds to the fun. We see Charlie lying exhausted on the floor, for instance, after making all those sandwiches. One day Charlie wakes up early on his birthday, and, not surprisingly, he's worried that everyone has forgotten. In fact, he's sure of it, when suddenly the doorbell rings. Boys and girls stream into his house, there for a surprise party. For once, Charlie isn't ready. Viorst reassuringly concludes: But maybe not being ready is sometimes okay. Whether readers are worriers or not, this book will have everyone laughing. Just be sure you find a copy soon. It might sell out. Go quickly, just in case!

Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.

Since its publication in 1991, Mama, Do You Love Me? has become a modern children's classic. It is a cherished bedtime read-aloud and the winner of numerous awards. Set in Alaska, it transcends time and place, voicing the universal love between a mother and daughter, in this case an Inuit family.

How could author Barbara Joosse and illustrator Barbara Lavallee follow their huge hit? The title is obvious—Papa, Do You Love Me?—but the setting is not. This time, the author-illustrator team focuses on the Maasai culture of Kenya, where fathers consider their sons their greatest treasure. Author Joosse lives in Wisconsin, but a 1997 trip to Africa left a permanent mark on her heart. The result is splendid in both text and illustrations.

The words follow a pattern similar to the first book: The boy asks his father how much he loves him and how he would handle various challenges. The father's responses include references to the African bush, such as, I love you more than the warrior loves to leap, more than the bush baby loves the moon, more than the elder loves his stories. A detailed two-page spread at the end of the book explains all the Maasai terms and customs.

While the details of these two books are very culture-specific, their magic lies in the simple rendering of unconditional love. When the boy asks, What if I fell asleep anyway and hyenas crept in and killed a cow . . . and it was my birthright cow? The father says, Then, Tender Heart, I would be angry. But still, I would love you. The closing message is perfect for tucking in any young child: I'll care for you, love you, and teach you. Always. Because I am your papa, and you are my Tender Heart.

Lavallee's watercolor illustrations are magnificent, with soft oranges conveying the African heat, the sun and the rich robes and jewels of the father and son. Her images are simple, yet evocative, conveying the familial love and the distinctive Serengeti setting.