A Book of Kisses

Ross and Rader (A Book of Hugs) team up again for this breezy look at a variety of kisses and kissing occasions. Ross's minimal text, amplified with speech balloons, moves from the obvious opportunities for kissing (bedtime, birthdays and making up) to more unusual types of kisses for everyday affection (butterfly kisses, tummy--or ""raspberry""--kisses, rubbing noses). Chock-full of adorable animal characters expressing their mutual admiration (kangaroos kissing on tiptoe, an octopus and fish giving each other underwater kisses), Rader's gently humorous, brightly colored cartoon drawings are guaranteed child-pleasers. For the endpapers, which offer the word ""kiss"" in different languages, Rader includes, among other cheerful animals, an owl and a pussycat in a pea green boat about to ""Busu"" (""kiss"" in Swahili). Ages 3-up. (Jan.)