TOM AND PIPPO GO SHOPPING; TOM AND PIPPO IN THE GA

A gifted British author-illustrator continues the saga of a cheerful toddler and his toy monkey, first met in four titles in 1988. When they go shopping, Tom keeps asking for things for Pippo to eat (a bit of cheese, a plum), but then eats it all himself while poor Pippo's face alternately registers hope and resignation. In the garden, Tom's care for Pippo parallels his mother's for him. When—on the night of a full moon—Dad tells Tom about rockets, he imagines going to the moon with Dad and Pippo (this will make a fine prequel to Barton's I Want to Be an Astronaut). And on a day when Daddy goes to work, Tom is also so busy that he forgets where Pippo is; fortunately, he finds him again, because "when it's time to go to sleep, I need to be with Pippo." Tom is lucky to live in the nurturing family Oxenbury depicts with such warmth; his creative play with his beloved friend reflects his own security and capacity for healthy growth. The illustrations here are masterpieces of simplicity: a few soft lines convey nuances of character and feelings, composition combines lively action with stable designs reinforcing the sense of Tom's security, and there is a good variety of details, well chosen to interest the toddler audience. Eight of these charming little books is not too many!