A friendly, round-faced little girl leads young readers (and near-readers) through four of the most pleasurable occupations known to humankind: hiding, giving, chatting, and bouncing. Because, really, is there any better way to pass time than chatting with the cat or bouncing on Daddy first thing in the morning? The stories in this collection focus on every aspect of the described activity, with unique kid's-eye perspectives. For example, the dog Buster "always hides when it's time for his bath, and so does Mom's wallet "when we're all ready to go shopping." The intense drama of a child's life is easy to overlook in the adult world of serious Issues. But British author and illustrator Shirley Hughes manages to get right in there and celebrate the truly important things: a baby giving his sister two soggy bread crusts, and a bunch of friends bouncing on big cushions.
