Rolling

When thunder comes rolling across the sky, it chases a herd of assorted animals out of the forest to the meadow, where they encounter a child with a drum. The thunder passes and the child plays drum rolls to lead the animals home. Novak's lively pictures bear evidence of an original talent, but his story is slight; the text consists of two long sentences stretched out over 27 pages. The skimpy story line is unlikely to capture readers' imaginations; nor will the book help them handle their fear of thunder. The book has been elegantly produced, but its price tag may turn buyers away from a rather unformed story. (4-7)