Wrong Side of Bed

Distorted shapes, exaggerated angles and a somewhat garish palette that is virtually free of primary colors are the hallmarks of Keller's odd, topsy-turvy illustrations of what ensues when ``little Mott Turner'' quite literally gets up on the wrong side of the bed. The ceiling becomes the floor, he descends the stairs only ``with a bit of a struggle,'' and finally he floats into space when disembarking from the school bus. Although it is based on an amusing idea, Keller's fantasy, unlike his protagonist, is earthbound. His pedestrian text imparts little sense of exhilaration or adventure and is coy and condescending in spots. Mott himself, bug-eyed, purse-mouthed, and seeming alternately angry at and dazed by his predicament, holds little attraction. Nicholas Heller's Up the Wall offers a fresher, funnier and more freewheeling exploration of what the world can offer when one is upside-down. Ages 3-6. (Oct.)