Polar

This sluggish story introduces Polar, a white teddy bear who crawls into his bed with his friends Pam-Pam and Jack. Awakening from a dream-filled sleep, the bear spots what he thinks is a hillside covered with snow (what Polar actually sees is a white cloth draped over the bureau top). Dressing in warm clothes, he makes a toboggan from a box and slides down the ``hill.'' When he tries to stand up in his sled, Polar takes a tumble. Pam-Pam and Jack take Polar to the hospital, where he receives a bandage on his leg and crutches to help him walk. Finally, the teddy bear returns home, where he has tea with his pals. While Moss's rudimentary text makes rather abrupt transitions, Baker's composite illustrations, described as ``collage constructions.'' are bright and (winter) breezy. Although they have a necessarily static quality, the pictures offer young readers an unusual treat. Ages 3-up. (May)