I Never Wanted to Be Famous

Clifford's quick wit and likable characters have won the hearts of fans who revel in such gems as Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library, The Dastardly Murder of Dirty Pet, etc. In her new novel, Goodwin (Goody) Tribble laments his status as a hero, which he declares is false. Goody covets a low profile; his mother longs for someone famous in the family. When the boy saves a baby from choking, Mrs. Tribble alerts the press and Goody is featured in the local paper. Abetted by Goody's teacher, ""Iron Horse,'' his mother begins to groom her son to assume the presidency of the U.S., and swift developments from that maternal ambition bring Goody more grief. Only when he handles another emergency does Goody accept (modestly) pats on the back and even an invitation to appear on TV. In the story's end, he's off to work as a page in Congress, testing the sound of ``Congressman Goodwin Drake Tribble,'' and then . . . ? (811)