Shopping for Snowflakes

The four titles in the new What's Next? series follow a simple format: the protagonist(s) faces a decision and the reader is asked to pick the correct action based on four possible choices. But the simplicity of the format belies the charm and eccentricities of the stories. In Rainboots for Breakfast Frog is hungry. He sets the kitchen table, makes breakfast, eats and washes the dishes, facing many decisions during the preparations, some of which aren't always easy. In Shopping for Snowflakes , Rabbit and Hare go to the grocery store for some bread. While there they, too, have numerous choices, such as whether to buy ``tummy tickling tomatoes,'' ``lovely leafy lettuce'' or ``cute classy cucumbers.'' In Swimming in the Sand , Hippo is hot and decides to go to the beach. While there she must decide how to cool off, whether or not to build a sand castle, and what to do at the end of the day. Pig is the heroine in Birthday in a Bathtub , and she spends her birthday making decisions: what to wear, what gifts to give her guests and where to eat the cake. Each time a protagonist is faced with a decision, one of the choices is correct and the others range from quirky to just plain wrong. Himmelman combines humor and logic while imparting the need to make well-thought-out decisions. Bright, cheery mixed-media pictures by Leonard add amusement and further the rhythm of the stories. A fresh, original series of concept books. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)