Henrietta P. Hoppenbeek provides the delightfully careening narrative in Murray's (The Slightly True Story of Cedar B. Hartley
) quirky tale. After the garrulous heroine describes herself ("I'm a good wiggler, and sometimes I'm exhillperating
and sometimes I'm exasperating
"), she introduces her pet mice, dog, best friend and baby brother Albert, who is "only the size of a sock. Not really. He's probably about the same size as a sewing machine, only he can't sew." Sepia- and rose-toned spot illustrations in a childlike free-hand style demonstrate Henrietta's points (e.g., baby Albert within the outline of a sewing machine). She blithely announces that her role at home is to "make sure things keep happening." It is a job at which she excels. Trotting out her comically overactive imagination, the lass lists the things she can do: "I can become a dueling rhinoceros, a surf champion,... or a high-and-mighty lady singing hallelujah, praise the land of agreeable chairs" (a series of scenes depict a chair as her chief prop in each scenario) and confides that "what she really want[s] to be is an explorer" (e.g., sailing in the bathtub with her brother to the Land of One Thousand Alberts, where she drops him off "for a long holiday"). Handlettered type that swirls across the page, along with the energetic, spontaneous-looking drawings add to the whimsy of the book. Feisty, inventive Henrietta is sure to attract many fans. Ages 7-10. (June)
