Sillyville or Bust (Sillyville

Hannan's off-the-wall quartet combines a comic-book style with zany, upbeat stories aimed at a middle grade audience. In Sillyville or Bust , the ineffably raucous tone is set as Ruby and her older brother embark on a terminally boring car trip with Aunt Ida and Uncle Gus. As Ruby falls asleep in the back seat, her brother prays for a flat tire, ``just for a break in the monotony.'' Things pick up when the family discovers Sillyville, a completely loony place where foolishness is the order of the day. Sillyvillians--with names like Candelabra Noodlewart or Firetruck Mine Mine Mine--dress funny and are obsessed with practical jokes. The adventures of the Drabville inhabitants vs. the Sillyvillians continue in the next three titles. These books' unconventional, slapdash design--in both format and treatment of text-- is cleverly augmented by deliciously schizoid cartoons whose colors look as if they were scrambled in a blender run amok. Sure to appeal to a wide audience, Hannan's efforts could serve as wonderful enticements to book-shy students. Each book includes a page of stickers featuring slogans like ``Live silly or die'' and ``You have the right to remain ridiculous.'' Ages 4-7. (Mar.)