Engelbert Joins the Circus

This lackluster sequel to Engelbert the Elephant is just not up to Paxton's usual jaunty standards. The plot, about how Engelbert steals the show while visiting his cousin Edgar, a circus performer, is relayed through verse that's often strained and sometimes downright awkward (""So Engelbert set sail--/ The vessel rocked from side to side./ Poor Engelbert! The ocean seemed/ A million miles wide!""). Comparisons will inevitably be drawn between Wilson's (Brer Tiger and the Big Wind) egg-tempera paintings and Steven Kellogg's more successful artwork for the original book. While skillfully executed, Wilson's illustrations, with their soft palette and subdued style, tone down the action; they don't deliver the jolt of energy that might have helped jump-start this bland book. Ages 5-up. (Mar.)