What Kouka Knows

Distinctive art confers unusual appeal on a slender, straightforward story. ``Kouka has a problem,'' begins the text, explaining that if Kouka takes tea with Daniel, he won't have time to decorate Dolly; if he plays ball with Bill, he won't have time to give Margaret her music lesson; etc. Each spread shows Kouka--who has the shape of an upright hippo and the size of a mouse--engaged in possible activities. Tortoise Margaret's music lesson, for example, consists of Kouka drumming on a snail's shell with a pair of wooden spoons; helping Charles the cat learn to fly means attaching a balloon to Charles's tail. Truus illustrates her spreads expertly but sparingly, placing just a few images against an otherwise blank white expanse. By means of a special engraving technique which makes use of thin zinc plates, she endows each image with a rich, almost metallic texture and glow. Subtle coloring and loose lines add whimsy and motion. Ages 3-up. (May)