The Baby Swap

It's lovely to have one more reminder of the late Ormerod's talent. Caroline Crocodile deems her baby brother a smelly, "no fun" drooler who "takes up all the room" on Mama Crocodile's lap. Stuck minding him in the shopping district, she does what any red-blooded, capitalist kid would do: she goes to the "Baby Shop" and tries to trade up. The shopkeeper doesn't miss a beat and matches Caroline with a series of substitute babies--a panda, an elephant, and twin tigers--all of which prove to be ill-advised (the panda devours a cafe's bamboo furniture; the elephant breaks the town fountain). It will come as no surprise that Ormerod handles Caroline's burning jealously and misplaced attempts to steer her own destiny with comedic deftness and emotional acuity, never overplaying her prose or premise. And while Ormerod was a gifted artist, she has a worthy collaborator in Joyner (The Terrible Plop). His composition and pacing feel effortless, and his repertoire of vivid expressions--which include Caroline's impressive gamut of looks as well as the panda's funny-creepy unchanging stare--makes every page pretty near perfect. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)

PreS-K--Caroline Crocodile is not at all fond of her baby brother and can't understand why Mama Crocodile spends her time on him. One day, while her mother goes to a hat shop to make an exchange, Caroline spies The Baby Shop and sets out to make an exchange of her own. She trades her sibling for a series of other baby animals, including a panda, an elephant, and twin tigers. But each swap presents unexpected problems, and she is left with just one conclusion-- that her baby brother is the right choice for her. Joyner's bright, busy illustrations evoke the work of Bernard Waber and H.A. Rey--a perfect fit for the timeless, classic feel of Ormerod's text. Giggles will ensue as the ridiculousness escalates. VERDICT Whether used one-on-one or in storytime, this engaging story will tickle kids' funny bones.--Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD