Peter's Pockets

Imagine Peter's surprise when he discovers that his wonderful new slacks have no pockets. During a walk to the boat pond, Peter fills his uncle Nick's pockets with the objects he finds: ribbons, a feather, a ball, a marble and other trinkets. When Peter returns home, his mother is delighted by his treasures, and she hits upon an ingenious solution for his pocketless pants. With old pockets and scraps of material, Mama makes sure that Peter has a place for each of his finds. Rice's story may be used to make points about the value of practicality over fashion, but it also gently depicts a loving mother attuned to her child's needs. Parker's watercolor and pencil illustrations have an accessible, childlike quality; she adds a touch of whimsy in the pictures of Peter's renovated pants. Ages 3-5. (Mar.)