A New House for the Morrisons: 9

In her captivating picture-book debut, Carter depicts a family's search for a home. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison (portrayed as brown, bipedal crocodilians), have grown tired of their little white house. With their young son, Albert, they visit Mr. Sharkey, a slick real-estate agent who drives a flashy, tailfinned car. Mr. Sharkey points out all kinds of unusual properties, but nothing seems to please the picky Morrisons. Although it's obvious that the ideal home is the one the Morrisons' already occupy, no surprise ending is necessary--the shopping trip provides all the fun. Carter shows architectural ingenuity, creating such dwellings as an angular Space Age pad (deemed ``too new''); a dilapidated, haunted mansion (``too old''); and a pastoral cottage with a thatched roof (``too many bugs''). One particularly effective spread overlooks the entire town, showing the Morrisons' progress from one abode to another (and the rest of the burg's dashing domiciles). This playful tale succeeds on two levels: Beginning readers may safely tackle the uncomplicated text, or they can grasp the plot through the expressive illustrations alone. Ages 2-6. (Sept.)