cover image Whats the Difference

Whats the Difference

Bill Gillham. Putnam Publishing Group, $5.95 (24pp) ISBN 978-0-399-21321-2

Children who worry that their family won't ""fit'' into the house once a new baby arrives will find comfort in this book. Crackers the parrot, Bones the dog and Siam the cat live with humans Joanie and Teddy, and they think that everything is just the way it should be. So the pets don't understand why the happy couple brings home a new ``pet''a newborn baby. Saddened because they are getting less attention, the animals try to make changes on their own. Their plans don't work, but the pets take a different kind of action one day when the baby criesthe outcome is a smiling baby and new friendships all the way around. The house is large enough for everyone. Ferguson's first book contains the warm ring of truth and Stock's illustrations are fresh, ably capturing the emotions and excitement of a changing, growing household. (3-6)