cover image Night House Bright House

Night House Bright House

Monica Wellington. Dutton Books, $11.99 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-525-45491-5

A tabby and 10 mischievous mice scamper through a house in Wellington's (Night Rabbits) slight yet buoyant offering. In each room, toys, furniture and other inanimate objects offer a sing-song, rhyming commentary on the animals' goings-on: "" `What a mess,' said the dress./ `They'll clean up,' said the cup."" The text is presented in rebus-like format, with the images appearing alongside, rather than in place of, the corresponding word. Though occasionally clever, the rhymes are in other instances irrelevant ("" `Yakety-yak,' said the sack"") or forced ("" `Phony-baloney,' said the macaroni""). The art, on the other hand, is inventive and consistently diverting. Intentionally flat, the brightly hued illustrations present a cheerful clutter of knickknacks and playthings. In each scenario, preschoolers can locate the items mentioned (and pictured) on the opposing page and check out the antics of the tireless mice, who sometimes find comical hiding places. A bonus for adult readers: Wellington decorates the walls of her bustling house with playful knockoffs of well-known paintings. Ages 2-5. (Feb.)