My Grapes

This virtually wordless book has a lot of explaining to do. ``I am Morgan Mouse and these are my grapes,'' proclaims a mouse, who refuses to share the bounty with the ladybug, bee, snail, spider, caterpillar and butterfly he subsequently encounters. The situation reaches a violent pitch when Morgan hurls a grape at the caterpillar, who then breaks into lots of tiny segments. The indecipherable turning point comes when a butterfly enters onto one page and, without interacting with Morgan, flies away in the next. Suddenly, the previously gray grapes take on color and are transformed into balloons that lift Morgan into the air, where he travels over sea and land, up to the moon and sun, while balloon-grapes scatter picturesquely against the scenery. In the morning, all of the scorned insects reconvene (caterpillar has miraculously reassembled itself) to witness Morgan's change of heart. Morgan takes up his sign, crosses out the word ``My,'' and the grapes revert once more to colorful (and smiling) fruit. McGrath's bright, childlike paper collages don't elucidate the message. Presiding adults may be left stammering when children inevitably ask, What happened? Ages 2-8. (Nov.)