Twelve Days of Christmas

Waggish gouache paintings and a playful, cursive typeface rev up Hubbard's (Hip Cat) rendition of the traditional cumulative carol. Four ""calling"" birds squawking to one another on the telephone and 12 frogs leaping among cups of eggnog are among the inventive interpretations here. A rebus-like line of numbers and symbols skips along the bottom of each page, reminding readers of the previous verses to the song. A dozen sturdy punch-out keepsake ornaments are included. All ages. (Oct.)