BELIEVING SOPHIE

Sophie's on the wrong end of a bad rap. A busybody has accused her of lifting a pack of cough drops from the local grocery store. Guiltless, she has to endure the chastening looks of the clerks and clientele and a confrontation with the store owner. Exonerated of all wrongdoing, she is rocked by the experience, even though the ending is upbeat. There isn't a child on earth who hasn't been unjustly accused of wrongdoing; Hutchins (The Three and Many Wishes of Jason Reid, 1988, etc.) pens a fine cautionary tale that can easily be the segue to discussions of two-bit nosiness, jumping to conclusions, and big-time misunderstandings. Donohue's watercolors have a corny edge that suits the absurdity of Sophie's situation—readers will feel her vulnerability and, when she's absolved, lingering discomfort. This book gets all the nuances right and serves forth a story that readers will mine for gold. (Picture book. 5-9)