A VERY NOISY GIRL
by Elizabeth Winthrop & illustrated by Ellen Weiss
Elizabeth makes a continuous racket; when her desperate mother waxes firm, Elizabeth makes an abrupt reversal: now she's a dog who never speaks. Her mother goes along; finally, Elizabeth has sustained her charade so well that Mom grows plaintive: ``Dog, you're no fun...I wish Elizabeth would come home...It's much too quiet here without her.'' This pungent sample of creative negotiation between beleaguered parent and relentlessly lively child has simple, cheery illustrations that capture the action and mood with engaging precision. (Picture book. 3-7)