AMELIA WRITES AGAIN

Amelia is back, as precocious as ever. Having filled one journal (Amelia's Notebook, 1995) with her fantasies, color drawings, and random observations, she's embarked on another. This 10-year-old's scribblings are haphazard: She wonders what the dip under her nose is for, pontificates about the shapes of hands, moans that she can't concentrate in math class. Underneath these ramblings is an author searching for a theme, and the fun of the book is in its unpredictable directions. Amelia is a year older, as is America, and must confront a terrorist act—a protester's burning of her school. Her innocent reaction sounds forced (``I can't figure out how burning down our school sends a message to the government. Couldn't he just send a letter?''), but her keen observations show the devastating effect of the arson on teachers and students. Though that particular section reflects some childlike wisdom, much of the notebook is corny. (Picture book. 7+)