cover image Wheres Julius Rlb

Wheres Julius Rlb

John Burningham, Crown. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $9.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-517-56511-7

Breakfast, lunch or supperyoung Julius is never around when it's time to eat. So his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Troutbeck, routinely fix trays of food to deliver to the boy, who is busy digging a hole to the other side of the world, riding a camel up a pyramid, throwing snowballs at wolves in Novosti Krosky, or shooting the rapids on the Chico Neeko River. One night, when they can't find Julius, his parents discover he's already at the table, waiting to enjoy a meal with them for a change! In one of his best works yet, Burningham is in splendid form, using such ordinary types as the Troutbecks, who spout mealtime homilies (great for reciting), which are a nice contrast to Julius's far-flung adventures. The artist's bright palette shows off the Troutbecks at home, or stoically picking their way through the elements of Julius's imagination to see that their son gets a decent meal. (3-6)