The Alarm Clock

The sweetness and gentle humor in Heine's lovely color pictures and stories ensured the acceptance of Friends, starring Fat Percy (the handsome pig), Charlie Rooster and Johnny Mouse. The trio returns in this book and two companions, collectively called Three Little Friends. Fat Percy and Johnny borrow a clock so Charlie won't oversleep after a night of revelry. They have a ball, staying up until midnight, paying pranks on the sleeping animals before settling down. But the ticking clock irks Charlie, so he sits on it and the alarm can't go off. In the nick of time, his pals wake him up to usher in the dawn, proving again that friends can be relied on when all else fails. The theme of mutual support links all the stories, which include The Visitor, ISBN 0-689-71044-5 ; and The Racing Cart, ISBN 0-689-71045-3 ; $3.95 each. (38)