I Wouldn't Be Scared

``Today I saw a beast in my backyard, and I'm going to hunt it down. It ate my dog Rusty, I think.'' With these words, a small but fearless boy pits himself against the invisible forces of darkness. What the boy lacks in physical stature, he makes up in cunning and bravado; he is armed with a stick and a coonskin cap. On the one hand, the boy is beset by fears: a slippery snake could be lurking in the dark or a hairy gorilla could be ready to abduct him, but one by one, the young hero deals with his imagined adversaries. He courageously masters all possible situations--until he hears a real noise coming from behind the hedge. The noisy culprit turns out to be Rusty, the long-lost dog. Sabraw's adventuresome story is expertly paced, and the lively antics of the unlikely hero are capricious and entertaining. Although the theme is a simple one, it is played to good advantage and augmented by playful cartoons. Ages 4-6. (Sept.)