“se generalizations, Peed 44, December 6, 1978 - ‘North Shore News ‘Suggestions | - television ‘has deprived «. children of the ability _or..incentive..to read . strike me, like most —as- nonsense; nor do my observations of my own and ‘other children. - support those. gloomy - | notions. ee But. it’s clear that ‘tv watching hours are sub- tracted from time that might be spent. reading maybe at. ‘some | the mind- | _ stretching pleasures of print. © -the Christmas ee aes . What-a-Mess The Good. ae by Frank. Muir. “Illustrated oo by Joseph Wright. Published © the expense, for children, of Anyway,” . season provides. a chance to encourage interest in books ~ . with gifts of exciting reading; so, herewith, an assessment . of a clutch of. this ‘year's _ crop: er A House Is A House For . _ Me by Mary Ann Hober- man; illulstrated by - Betty... -. Fraser. Published by The Viking Press. $6. 95. This 48-page picture book ° is gorgeous and appropriate, - Td guess, -for.any children _ _ between three and about . ‘seven years. “A hill is a house for.an ant,” -it begins, “A hive is a house for a.bee. A hole is a house fora ‘mole or a mouse, and a house isa: house ‘for me!’ The illustrations are a delight and the whole book, as ail - children’s books — should, begs for reading aloud. Try . this verse: | “Barrels — are houses for | pickles, - And bottles are houses for jam. A pot is’ a spot for . potatoes. A sandwich is. home. for _'. someham.” - Lovely. A Day | In The Woods -— ‘created and photographed by Noel Keenan.. Text by “Val Clery. Published -by Greey de Pencier Books. $6. 95 This 32-page photo book i is. the ‘story' of Rory Keenan, | the photographer's son, ‘and | his meeting and friendship — with a baby raccoon. The pictures, fruits of two summers exposure of 2,000. coloured slides, are evocative. of much that’s © most memorable bush and’ stream. This first | book to be published by Owl. Magazine, in’ cooperation «' with Greey de Poncier, is a . ideal ‘for 7 . girls and boys from any age. total pleasure, . gis Fall aint Fc 41401 hornb st. vancouver bc -that- - way - around (WARNER ‘TROYER, — = up. fo. nine ‘or ‘ten. Two Under: the “dust "jacket | (a- vulnerable - and | > ‘temporary | ‘covering with — ‘bonuses: - most: kids” books) you'll: find. io ‘the ‘same cover: printed: on the hard cover. And onthe last. page is a ‘| 7 and. | ‘description -of ‘the leading | brief - glossary ‘characters’ .of .the. story, from~ sieves: ‘to. _ water striders.. Val Clery’ Ss. simple, warm, natural: The. ‘close-ups’ | ladybug; . _ praying: mantis, "sci, frog's - eye are enchanting. . eee “by. Ernest Benn Limited. Distributed by. _Musson.. _ $6. 25. “Thirty-two pages bright, lyrical, engaging ~ -fantasy.- The colours: and. _ patterns. seem to reflect the _ Most: charming. memories of other’ children’s . books published, like this one, in . Britain. This tale of What-a-. mess, a large -ish, honey- coloured dog; determined efforts to ‘help — out’ by ridding his home of — three ants is just right for a twenty-minute pre-bed read. | The ‘tiny animals, men, ‘insects playing « out their own fates in the margins. and | backgrounds" of the pages. ‘are an added delight. Fun to. ‘read aloud. Ages.'three to seven.is my guess. Buy it for. a three-year-old; at seven | they'll still like it, and read it _to you some night. pee The Body Book - by Claire “Rayner. IHustrated by Tony . King. Published by. Andre “Deutsch. Distributed by. _ Collins Publishers. $7.95. .. Claire Rayner is a British and medical: journalist. She has written. - owalict this 44-page book, with. its. witty ‘King drawings, to describe and expiain just . about évery major bodily — to. function, from birth death, with stops on the way to explain digestion, breathing, infection, reproduction, the the . physical senses work; there’s even a simple prose picture (with drawing) - of how -the brain works. There are simple ex- planations, too, of physiological acts and. “responses . from sneezes ‘to flatulence. "This. ‘book: will clearly - arouse | Subjective response Wi By a aad photo 4 prose. is ot - and his — circulation, | phone 669 2445 "among" "parents; entirely positive. I like the prose. Examples: . “Inside your nose “are “special © smell-collectors. : They send the smells along a pathway called a.nerve. The "nerve goes to your brain. Your brain makes your feel hungry. “good smelling food. ” wobbles in the air. wobbies. are called vibrations. ” And soon. ‘The section called, “Growing and changing and “making new. people,” explicitly and directly with human reproduction; I think ‘with - thoughtfulness, un- . derstanding and good taste. You may not, so check it out _ before you buy this book. - - But I promise you this is ‘the best set of. answers to some of those - confusing _ questions your kids have that you are likely to encounter in a long time. I'd'say ok for kids“ from five to ten or eleven. Let ‘me know what - -you think. If you. think the . book too explicit for your kids, buy. it for yourself, to help with those awkward. questions, | eee Fox. Mykyta - ‘Translated by Bohdan Illustrated by ‘Kurelek. Published by Tundra Books. $12.95. Melnyk. Ivan Franko’s 1890 fabies of the Sly Fox draw on every human frailty in their satiric assaults on pomposity, greed, vanity and.so on. Mr. Melnyk first literally translated the 25 verse fables into English verse, then melded them into