Topsy Turvy: The World of Upside Down

Like the works of Mitsumasa Anno, this intriguing picture book asks children to think in diverse ways. ""Be all eyes, show no surprise, / And wonders will unfold,'' invites the author. The 22 crisply written rhymes consider ``The World of Upside Down.'' A dog takes a little girl for a walk on a leash, bored sheep and clouds exchange places, a child sits on a wooden doll's lap and kites watch people fly. A girl in a circus, ``like a shimmering butterfly in her attire . . . leaps and sails through the hoop of fire,'' held by a lion. The gold-bordered illustrations, like medieval paintings on a white museum wall, are a dazzling blend of images: surreal landscapes, finely etched animals and children with Rossetti-like hair and pensive faces. And the intriguing narrative is as richly textured as the illustrations. All ages. (November)