WITH LOTS OF LOVE

When her adored pet cockatoo vanishes, Nana Bear becomes "sadder and sadder." At first Toby, her grand-cub, plasters the forest with "Lost" posters, but when that doesn't yield results, he decides to cheer up Nana Bear. He fashions a huge card with a cockatoo on the cover, and decorates it with an abundance of hearts, X's and O's. "I made it myself, with lots and lots of love," Toby tells Nana Bear, who perks up considerably. But the card does more than console his grandmother; by happy coincidence, Toby has made an envelope from a newspaper that carries a "Found" notice for the missing bird. "Nana Bear told over and over again the story of the beautiful card Toby had given her and how it had brought Lottie-Dot home," Wilhelm writes at book's end. "And all because it was made... with lots and lots and lots of love." The premise may be the very definition of "chestnut," but the warmth and genuineness in Wilhelm's storytelling will envelop readers like a favorite quilt. He never overplays the emotional content of the story, but conveys the high stakes through the dramatic initial search for Lottie-Dot, as well as through Nana Bear's heartbroken expressions—making Toby's determination and clear-headedness even more admirable. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)