Half Wild and Half Child

Maddie and Nick find that they can assert their independence and defy their parents' well-meant directives by shrieking ``no, no, no!'' and becoming ``half wild, half child''. From their waist to their toes, the wild half is complete with reptilian feet and tails, colored bright green with purple spots. That doesn't bother them one bit, until one night when they get a little too wild. Emboldened by their previous freedom, Maddie and Nick go crazy, spilling soup, climbing on furniture and tearing the house apart. After a sleepless night of destruction, the exhausted children find that their wild halves won't go away. The doctor and vet are sent for, but the children recover only when Maddie and Nick civilize themselves by thinking of all the things that make them say yes instead of ``no, no, no!'' This comical and cleverly handled story has familiar elements that are treated in a zany way. Boyd's unique illustrations have a two-dimensional look; black lines filled in with vivid patterns give this offbeat morality tale an eccentric appeal. Ages 3-8. (September)