Nobody

George and his imaginary friend, Nobody, are the heroes of Rosenberg's (This Is the Wind) extended play on words. Downing (No Hugs Till Saturday) gives the small boys more than a passing resemblance—both have pudgy bodies, pajamas, and bedhead, though Nobody is depicted in black and white, and his wild curls hint at his mischievousness. He shows up when George wakes up one morning to help with a cooking project, and the word fun flies as fast as the food: "Nobody helped him take everything out of the fridge"; "Nobody mopped up the first few mistakes." Wild splatters of paint convey the pair's culinary progress (Nobody stomps on a bottle of ketchup when he gets angry), while closeups from inside the refrigerator and a mixing bowl play up the action. Notably, George's parents are only slightly disconcerted by the chaos that greets them in the kitchen: "Pineapple, sweet potato, puppy treats... George, what were you thinking?" Young readers will enjoy being let in on George's secret while the grownups are oblivious— and stories about food chaos are always a hit. Ages 4–8. (June)