TRADE-IN MOTHER

Max is having a frustrating day, and it all seems like Mama's fault: she's the one who makes him wear his jacket, won't let him stay alone while she runs errands, and insists on washing his hair. When she refuses to read his bedtime story a second time (``You have school tomorrow''), he rebels (``I wish I could trade you in!''). Wisely going along, Mama lets him describe an ideal mother who ``lets me eat cookies whenever I want'' and ``hates string beans''; Mama's comment that ``I would never trade you in'' sets up a neatly arrived-at reconciliation that ends with the kiss Max refused earlier. Russo's simple dialogue nicely reflects a child's sense of injustice at normal constraints, while her attractive illustrations, formed of flat areas of bright, subtly harmonizing colors, reinforce the realistic story's warmth and sense of security. (Picture book. 3-7)