Chicky Chicky Chook Chook

A stylized onomatopoeic sound fest marks MacLennan's impressive debut. With bright, feathery dabs and blobs of paint, she introduces a passel of almost palpable fluffy chicks, fuzzy bees and cuddly kittens, all of whom frolic across brown-bag backgrounds to the beat of rhymes like this one: "Chicky, chicky, chook chook./ Chick, chick chick./ Chicky, chicky, chook chook,/ peck... peck... pick." The eyeballs of the rambunctious characters seem to bounce off their bodies, underscoring their kinetic energy. A sudden cloudburst puts a damper on things: "Sticky, icky chicky./ Soggy, groggy moggy./ Wet. Wet. Wet./ Crazy... dizzy... buzzer!/ How will we get dry ?" But the sun soon restores everybody back to their previously adorable states—just in time for a good night's sleep. The text may go on a bit long for some grownups' taste, especially since many of the sound combinations could potentially lodge themselves firmly in the brain. But youngsters will find the zippy, percussive language good fun, and plead for repeat readings. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)