Elliot's Emergency

With her debut book, Beck kicks off a new series, introducing an entire cast of stuffed toys: bright-eyed Elliot Moose, his best friend Socks (a sock monkey) and an assortment of other plush friends. While rushing off to meet Socks, the eponymous hero snags his leg on some molding and rips open a seam. A view of his fluffy innards naturally causes him some anxiety: ""What if [his stuffing] all came out? For a moment he imagined himself as just an empty shell of fur."" The other toys proceed to tape, bandage and glue Elliot's wound until Beaverton (a stuffed beaver) stitches him up; the moose is soon doing cartwheels and planning his next adventure. Although this is a competent and pleasant enough starting episode, none of the characters particularly stands out, and the text at times feels fussy and overwrought (""Elliot desperately wanted to cry. He longed to be alone""). Still, Beck's pencil and crayon drawings capture evocative expressions in the stuffed toys' button eyes and stitched-on mouths. Besides, the subject of getting and caring for a boo-boo is nearly always a surefire hit with the toddler set. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)