Cuckoo Clock

""Once upon a time,'' Stolz's fairy tale begins, in the classic style, and the magic transports the reader instantly to a village in the Black Forest. Erich grows up mistreated by Frau Goddhart who had ``kindly'' taken him in as an abandoned baby, to suit her public pose. The Goddharts fool everyone except the old clockmaker Ula; he befriends Erich, and the boy works as an apprentice to the craftsman. In time, Ula and Erich create a beautiful, intricately carved clock wth a real house for the bird that love brings to life in the course of this sweet story. The ending is unexpected but satisfying. Drawings by Johnson (who illustrated Stolz's captivating Quentin Corn complement the fantasy. Ages 7-12. (March)