How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse Got Together

``Boo hoo, boo hoo,'' cry Joe the big bear and Sam the small mouse throughout this story. picture book by the creators of The Snow Party. The two animals meet and decide they'd like to be pals, but they can't agree on a single thing. Both are looking for a dwelling place, but they can't live together because Joe wants a big house and Sam prefers a little house. They can't play ball together because Joe likes to play football while Sam prefers baseball. The two can't ride bikes together and they can't play music together, and the friendship seems doomed . . . until they learn that they have something very important in common--a love for ice cream. Although working with a frequently-used theme, de Regniers's engagingly direct text and Myers's spirited illustrations provide a fresh outlook. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)