How Humans Make Friends

Using the same premise as Jeanne Willis's Earthlets As Explained by Professor Xargle (1991) but far less successfully, Leedy (Who's Who in My Family?) here has the three-eyed Zork Tripork assemble his fellow aliens for his report on the young humans he has observed on his recent expedition to Earth. The book's title pinpoints the lesson of the day and, with the help of largely lackluster pictures, Tripork shows how human friends meet (at the ""learning building,"" at ""tiptoe class""); things they do (""play with spheres,"" ""stare at moving images""); and what they talk about (""weather conditions,"" ""edible items""). Leedy then dips into didactic waters as she discusses how friends do and don't get along: sharing, taking turns and keeping promises result in ""good feelings""; teasing, acting bossy and breaking promises bring on ""bad feelings."" However worthwhile the message, its delivery is disappointingly bland. For the most part, Leedy's attempts to cash in on the alien perspective to add humor simply fall flat. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)