Where's the Baby?

From Publishers Weekly In what PW called a "monstrously clever" sequel to The Very Worst Monster, readers follow baby's tracks, from muddy footsteps to chocolaty handprints, until baby is foundAin the most unlikely place. Ages 3-up. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 3 Hutchins' charming green ish monsters are back, and baby is still living up to the reputation he gained in The Very Worst Monster (Greenwillow, 1985)and he's still receiving raves from his relatives. The clever plot line has Grandma, Ma, and older sister Hazel following the baby, who is blithely traips ing through the house wreaking havoc as he goes, leaving paint footprints on the floor and handprints on the wall, a mess in the kitchen and chaos in the work room, and more of the same upstairs. With the discovery of every fresh disas ter, this true-to-life grandma praises her grandchild with phrases such as ``he's good at painting.'' Finally, they find baby apparently asleep. But when they tiptoe out of the room, baby reaches for the basket of eggs grandma left behind, and the jacket art shows further develop ments. While Grandma's comments will particularly appeal to adults, children will be tickled by baby's antics, his path of disaster, the expressions on the mon ster faces, and the promise of the ending. The text is mostly in rhyming couplets, which flow naturally. Bright watercolor and ink illustrations provide strong sup port and witty detail, and the well-com posed double-page spreads encourage a sense of movement through the house. A satisfying sequel. Leda Schubert, Ver mont Department of Education, Mont pelierCopyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the