Midnight Pillow Fight

Studded with questions (``Has your pillow ever wanted to play in the middle of the night?''), Ormerod's ( Sunshine ; One Ballerina Two ) playful text will involve little ones from its opening page. Told primarily through motion-filled watercolor and pen and ink pictures (generally several to a spread), the story centers on Polly, a cherubic girl whose pillow comes alive. She follows it downstairs, where throw pillows and larger cushions from a sofa and easy chair also spring to life. A game of leapfrog turns into a large-scale pillow fight, until Polly turns on the lights and places the suddenly still pillows back where they belong. But when she inexplicably begins to cry after returning to bed (``Why do you think she looked so sad?'' readers are asked), all of the pillows make their way upstairs to console her. Though not as compelling as some of Ormerod's prior picture books, this energetic romp will undoubtedly rouse youngsters' imaginations, especially--with its soothing palette of grays and oranges--at bedtime. Ages 3-up. (Mar.)