Sophie and Simon

Each book in this small library of Aladdin Storybooks contains a minor lesson, usually about tolerance: a short girl and a tall boy become friends; a large gray rabbit is helped by his weaker friend, the white rabbit; a glossy black duck longs to be another color; and, in the best of these, The Paper Airplane, a lonely man finds friendship with schoolchildren. Each tale is competently written, if ordinary, with an inviting tone. What really makes the series so appealing, other than the price of each book, is the array of full-color illustrations that will draw readers right into the stories. Ages 6-9. (February)