Block Book

Pack rats everywhere will have no trouble identifying with Betsy and Ben, a pair of blocks whose home is so overflowing with found objects (from yo-yos to worn-out appliances) that they are reduced to camping out in their yard under a Valentine's Day card. Yet when a neighbor's house burns down, it's Betsy and Ben--and their junk--who come to the rescue and help him rebuild. Of course, on the way home, the compulsive blocks are sidetracked by more litter. . . . First-time author Couture's rhyming story will win both laughs and sympathy, and sharp-eyed readers will delight in some of Mathers's quirky touches, such as the beguiling block couple's wildly mismatched footwear. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)