Baby in the Box

Clad only in a diaper and multicolored cap, the smiling baby in Asch's engaging book examines a box of blocks. He then empties the box and climbs in, and is soon joined by a fox. When they climb out to play with blocks, an ox appears and he takes a turn sitting in the box (he barely fits). Grown-ups--and perhaps even toddlers--can anticipate what happens next: baby, fox and ox all end up in the box, which topples over and knocks down the blocks. Eventually, we say ``Bye-bye'' to fox and ox, and to baby, who climbs back into the box. Asch's rhyming text and luminescent pictures are perfectly simple, making this an ideal read-aloud. Ages 2-4. (Oct.)