DON’T BE SILLY, MRS. MILLIE!

In a classroom setting, the harmless fun begins with the kindergartner’s teacher teasing her class by telling them to hang up their “goats,” do the “frog salute,” and get out their paper and “penguins.” The children in Mrs. Millie’s kindergarten class, after the initial surprise, reply in unison with the refrain, “Don’t be silly, Mrs. Millie! You mean . . . ” Full of giggles and guffaws, the children delight in the mental picture of the literal image in colored pencil, ink, and color wash which is equally as bright and absurd as the textual tease, but visually and verbally, Cox and Mathieu don’t go beyond average. The verbal errors, though they provide an opportunity for the children to correct them, are a simple fun game for a limited age range, whether it’s poodles or puddles, weasels or easels, quackers or crackers. Mrs. Millie’s sillies will elicit snickers and participation, once through, but no more than that. (Picture book. 4-5)