My Best Friend

Nister, the prolific creator of turn-of-the-century picture books has been rediscovered with a vengeance. Now come four more exercises in ersatz Victoriana--small-sized reproductions that resemble pop-up Hallmark cards in a time warp. Each book consists of (only) five spreads: cloying verses facing a sweet, not terribly ingenious pop-up or framed ``movable picture.'' It's difficult to believe that even the most avid nostalgia fans would find anything to be charmed by in these efforts. The poetry is overblown and sappy: ``When mother takes me out each morn, / We watch the chickens eat their corn'' and ``I really love my dolly, / We play for hours on end. / And I can tell her anything, / She's really a good friend.'' My Best Friend concludes with a verse entitled ``Little Simplicity''; like all of these saccharine books, a little goes a long way. All ages. (Aug.)