A New Life for Sir Christopher

In his fifth picture book, Wainwright ( Obadiah's Ghost ) extricates himself somewhat from the treacle that mired his previous efforts. Still far too long for this genre (pages opposite the illustrations are chock-a-block with text), the story chronicles the adventures of Sir Christopher, a soldier doll lovingly crafted in London by a Polish immigrant. Sold to an American family, Sir Christopher is subsequently lost on a Cape Cod beach, rescued and repaired by a retired sea captain and, finally, presented to the captain's newly crippled grandson as a means of coaxing the boy out of listlessness and self-pity. Despite a slightly florid style and a sappy ending, Wainwright's Dickensian-flavored narrative proves fairly compelling. There are hints of Van Allsburg in the clean, crisp lines of Dvorsack's meticulous illustrations, which help lift the book above the mundane. All ages. (Oct.)