BUILDING A HOUSE WITH MR. BUMBLE

Mr. Bumble is an egg-shaped bee whose black sweater over his yellow body accounts for his stripes (he lacks the most off-putting aspect of a bee—the stinger). He's building a house and his friends want to help out, but they need to select the right carpentry tools. A hammer, drill, shovel, saw, or rake: Which one should Mole use to cut wood? Each page presents a set of choices, and a gatefold conceals the answer—e.g., Mole carefully cuts a measured board with the saw. The tools are labeled and plainly drawn; preschoolers will be able to identify them easily. The color scheme is bold and basic, with plenty of peppy red, blue, orange, and green. After all the happy clatter, there's one task left, and that's for Mr. Bumble to move into his new, slightly off-kilter home—it turns out that his helpers are better friends than they are carpenters. A second book, Dressing Up With Mr. Bumble (ISBN: 0-7636-0075-X), makes the same amiable game of costume choices. (Picture book. 2-4)