Where Can It Be?

A search is underway as a small girl discovers that something beloved is missing; readers will be instantly curious about the identity of the lost object. She knows she brought it home, but a trip to the closet reveals ""Just my clothes.'' A look in the cupboard is just as futile, and her cat keeps showing upfirst under the bedcovers and then under a tablecloth. Mounting desperation inspires her to open the refrigerator, but what does she find? ``Just cold food.'' She wonders if she left it at Deborah's house. The doorbell rings, and Deborah is there, with the lost blanket. Split pages act as flaps, providing readers with a glimpse of the growth marks on the cupboard door, the chance to point out familiar items in the fridge, and the ability to relive that reassuring ending again and again. Jonas's paintings tie the reader into the action with her richly detailed and textured settings. (3-6)