Carolina Shout!

Fuchs and Schroeder follow Ragtime Tumpie with a stunning picture book, carefully weaving the melodic songs of pre-WWII street vendors into a story told by a spirited, endearing narrator. The way Delia sees it, ``Charleston must be the most musical place on earth.'' Delia ``can hear music in the raindrops beating on the tin roof'' and ``in the sound of Mama's laughter,'' but most of all, she hears the songs of the streets--the ``clink of the milk bottles,'' the ``wheezy old snuffle of the horse'' pulling the wagon, and the chants of the Chimney Sweep and the Pepper-Sauce Man. ``Whomp-bidda bay!'' say the carpenters working on the house next door; ``BLAAAACK-berries!'' sings the vegetable man. Schroeder delivers just the right mixture of story and song, and Fuchs's distinctive, sun-drenched paintings are filled with period details and characters so lively that the reader can almost hear them sing. A joyful collection of rhythmic music, luminous paintings and image-rich language, this accomplished volume calls readers to passionate attention. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)