Big Yellow Taxi

A big yellow Checker cab is the star of this nifty lift-the-flap and pull-the-tab book. Wilson-Max's (Little Red Plane) bright, color-saturated spreads are so cheerful, one can almost hear the birds chirping. The view from the steering wheel puts the reader in the driver's seat, but first the oil must be checked with a tiny paper dipstick, and the gas tank filled using a nozzle attached to the pump with yarn hose. Windows ""roll"" down, an antenna goes up, seatbelts fasten (including those on a child's car seat). The meter receipt, showing a fare of $52.86 for a half-hour ride, might make some passengers blanch, but most will agree that the trip was worth every penny. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)