LEON AND BOB

Leon is new in town. His father is away in the army and his mother is often busy, but Leon has Bob, a pal no one else can see. Bob is a good friend, keeping Leon company as they walk to school, and sharing letters from Leon's dad. One day a new boy moves in next door. Leon prepares to meet him, ``but you'll have to come with me, Bob.'' When Leon approaches the new kid's front door, he realizes Bob isn't next to him. Guess what the new kid's name turns out to be? The story may be a bit too neat, but there is no denying the quality of the artwork. The ink-and-watercolor illustrations have a hint of James Stevenson's work to them, cat- quick and near weightless, and James (Ancient Rome, 1990, etc.) has a wonderful way with gestures: the slouch in Leon's shoulders as he shuffles off to school, the angle of his head as he lends an ear to a voice only he can hear. Tidy, but congenial. (Picture book. 3-7)