KLUTZ

Stumbling and bumbling their way through life, the members of the Klutz family trip down stairs, spill their meals, and almost drop the baby on its head. ``Lumpish yokels!'' people retort, observing the Klutzes' fumblings as the family clomps ungracefully by in their way-too-big boots. A head-on collision with Professor Squirmworm results in an amazing discovery by the circus caravan leader: Under the big top, the Klutzes make excellent clowns! And that's not all. When Louise Klutz yanks off her boot, her feet are stinky, but they are nimble enough, unshod, to allow her to dance and walk tightrope. When the whole family hangs up their boots, their fame as clowns is eclipsed by their graceful highwire act. Drescher (who illustrated Richard Wilbur's Runaway Opposites, 1995) gives the illustrations the lead in the story. Klutziness provides him with ample opportunities to mix cut-outs of boots and faces with brightly painted, loosely drawn bodies and landscapes. These slapstick foibles may scare very young readers, but those old enough to put the goofiness in context will eat up this cacophony of collage. (Picture book. 4-8)