ABRACADABRA

A bear with a pig snout? A frog with wings? Macrobius the magician has played mix and match with all the animals in the forest. Something has to be done about him—soon. The animals think that Fox will have an answer, but even he has fallen under the spell and sports large yellow goose feet. Lowly Hedgehog comes up with a plan and all of them work together to best Macrobius. The text of this ``united we stand'' story is adequate, but the lively illustrations run away with the honors. Detailed watercolors, many of them full-bleed, double-page spreads, feature a large cast of mixed-up animals, an atmospheric forest, and a rather timid magician. Children will have fun figuring out whose misplaced body parts belong to whom, and the endpapers offer clues to Macrobius's bewitchment. (Picture book. 2-8)