Chicken Pox!: A Touch-And-Feel Pull-Tab Pop-Up Book

A perfect Rx for convalescents and other fractious youngsters, this reassuring book makes a case of the dreaded chicken pox seem almost like recreation. Mother Hen and her adorable Baby Chick, last seen in Hatch , Egg , Hatch! , cope valiantly when Baby Chick wakes up one morning covered with the telltale spots--which are represented on one spread by real sandpaper. Instructed not to scratch, Baby Chick desperately seeks relief. Mirrored by his sympathetic toy bunny, he stands on his head and flaps his (movable) wings--``fly away, spots!''; bathes with a (tangible) sponge; applies an (actual) Band-Aid; etc. Varied pop-ups and other forms of paper engineering engage the reader and, at the same time, extend the antic mood of Cony's unusually expressive yet uncomplicated illustrations. The touch-and-feel surprises seem made-to-order for readers who, like Baby Chick, struggle heroically to keep their hands busy doing something other than scratching. A catchy concept. Ages 2-5. (Apr.)