WHEN YOU GROW UP

Jones's beguiling bears, composed of seemingly hundreds of tiny brush strokes, outshine the text in this otherwise lackluster British import about a child contemplating his future. When Zachary's mother prods him to think about what he might be when he grows up—a cowboy, farmer, pilot—the fellow always ends his musings with the refrain, "and then I'll come back and live with you." But when his mother suggests that some day Zachary might "be a daddy and have a little cub just like you," Zachary decides that he and his family will live next door. Goodings does not make clear why the cub's consideration of being a father allows him to imagine himself as an independent adult and, unfortunately, most of the occupations his mother suggests are macho. The unconvincing dialogue underscores these stereotypes: when his mother suggests that he could be a famous soccer star, Zachary responds, "Oh, yes!... I will score all the goals and be a hero!"; "Oooh!" says his mother, contemplating her son wearing a sheriff's "shiny star and a big hat." Jones's warm and fuzzy bruins, on the other hand, exude a universal warmth and comfort. However, the artwork also reflects a time when unhurried mothers wore granny aprons and shawls. To modern families, the book's nostalgic village life may seem quaintly antiquated. Ages 2-6. (Apr.)