Louella and the Yellow Balloon

From Publishers Weekly Coxe's first book is a joy-filled celebration of a baby's innocent confrontations with danger. Patricia Pig takes her baby Louella to the circus, and buys her a balloon. "Hold tight to the string," she tells her little pig. But Louella lets go, and has to crawl, toddle and leap after it, encountering nearly every circus performer, and ultimately tripping across the length of the tightrope. She is saved from a serious turn of events by Patricia, and not a moment too soon. The watercolors are bold and calliope-bright, the action is fast and happily farfetched; Coxe is a newcomer with a welcomeand quirkysense of humor. Ages 3-7. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1 When Patricia Pig takes her toddler, Louella, to the circus, children are treated to antics in the circus ring. The fun starts when Louella drops the string to her yellow balloon and hops into the circus ring to get it back. She encounters each of the circus acts from clown to magician to tame lion tofinallythe highwire tightrope. Each double-page spread of these deliberately simple ink and watercolor illustrations shows Patricia looking on one side, with Louella attempting to clutch the string of her yellow balloon on the other side. This title will be especially welcome for preschool storytime, where children will have fun predicting what will happen next. Carole B. Kirkpatrick, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, Wash.Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.