Gwendolyn Grace

PreS-Gr 1--Gwendolyn Grace's mother has asked her to please be quiet while the baby is sleeping. "'But do you mean....Stop making music in the kitchen?' 'YES!'" Stop sledding down the stairs (aka mountain), splashing in the tub (aka ocean), playing trains, doing doggy dress-up, and bouncing on the bed? It turns out that she means all of these things, much to the irrepressible alligator's dismay. "But Mama....when the baby is done sleeping, can we all play together? Yes." And the final page shows them all happily and loudly playing marching band. Hannigan's illustrations have plenty of white space so that children can focus on Gwendolyn Grace's cavorting and just enough details to keep them interesting. Her dog and bird join in her boisterous activities, effortlessly matching her joy and disappointment and adding a fun visual element. The image of a small bird banging away on a kitchen pot is priceless. Pair Gwendolyn Grace with any of Ian Falconer's "Olivia" book (S. & S.) for a storytime that will delight children. VERDICT A wonderful mix of relatable scenes, expert facial expressions and body language, spot-on text, and the perfect amount of whimsy.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH