Shorty Takes Off

Filled with offbeat humor and some decidedly unconventional twists, this Swedish import centers on Shorty, a boy who longs for wings so that he can fly. He resents the fact that he is so small that he once got lost on the city streets, and ``had to cry rivers of tears until someone found him.'' One night, Shorty thinks so hard about wings that he sprouts them. The next morning, his wings come as quite a shock to his mother. Shorty flies out the window, and finds both his runaway cat and his lost soccer ball. He returns home very tired and, after dining on soda and french fries, falls asleep on his plate. As he grows, Shorty's wings disappear and he eventually becomes a rock star. Not all children will appreciate the book's eccentric text and pictures, and adults will want to look it over carefully before sharing with young readers. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)