I Want a Pet

As the title suggests, the endearing young narrator of Child's (Addy the Baddy) refreshing tale knows what she wants, but hasn't quite worked out the details. With droll one-liners, members of her family, represented only by their voices, share their preferences: ""Maybe something that lives outside""; ""Stuffed pets are very reliable."" Though the resourceful youngster proposes a menagerie of possible candidates (an African lion, a sheep, a wolf, an octopus, a boa constrictor), her parents and grandparents take turns pointing out the negatives of the various creatures. After each admonition, the girl issues amusing comments, conceding that the pet in question may not be ideal. Yet she and the pet store lady (the only adult pictured in the book) find a solution sure to make kids snicker--and to summon their imaginations. Set against backdrops of various bold colors, Child's deceptively simple art features a winsome character, defined by a strong black line and exhibiting droll expressions. A playful approach to a universal yearning of children. Ages 3-8. (Mar.)