Nowhere to Be Found

""So many children are nowhere to be found,'' Tom's mother cautions him. When he loses his temper at the market and wanders off, nowhere is, indeed, where he ends up. It proves to be a dreamlike world of strange souls: a confused knitter who has ``lost the thread,'' an addled man who is ``lost in thought,'' an old soldier who is ``fighting a losing battle,'' and so on. Aided by a parrot named Compass, Tom regains his temper and his familiar place in the world. Marks's children's book debut has exquisite watercolors that radiate light and atmosphere. But they decorate a fantasy that is somewhat oblique and difficult to warm to. The story's internal logic is not readily discerned; when unraveled, it seems overly clever and cerebral. The illustrations have appeal, but the story does not elicit an emotional response. Ages 5-8. (March)