THE PICNIC
by Ruth Brown & illustrated by Ruth Brown
A gifted illustrator (Our Puppy's Vacation, 1987) who is especially adept at depicting the English countryside takes the point of view of the animals living just under some sudden human activity. Brown draws readers into this shadowy world with the rabbits scooting for their burrows and populates it with a crowd of other rabbits, mice, moles, and a lizard. Suddenly, light pouring in the entrance is blocked; a brave mole ascends to dislodge a biscuit, after which the huge eye of a toddler is seen peering in. More threatening is the dog's nose that follows; fortunately, his digging is interrupted by a downpour—the people's picnic is over, and the woodland creatures can come out at sundown for their own feast. Brown develops her simple story with unusual care and imagination; the variety she achieves in the underground scenes (one is virtually black-on-black) is fascinating, while the animals are rendered with delightful skill and a contagious affection for such small, wild creatures as these. A charming book. (Picture book. 3-7)