cover image How Georgina Drove T Car Very

How Georgina Drove T Car Very

Crown, Lucy Bate. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $12.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-517-57142-2

Georgina proves a fine improvisional storyteller as she narrates a make-believe car trip to Grandma and Grandpa's houseone with herself at the wheel. ``Georgina drives very carefully down the street,'' she tells her rapt audience (consisting of mother, sister Madeline and assorted pets), highlighting her assumption of responsibility for the family's welfare and her conscientious observance of the rules of the road. When they pass horses and cows, Madeline waves and says hello; Georgina carefully keeps her eyes on the road. Georgina decides when it is time for lunch, pays for the meal and uses the change to buy each member of the family a treat. And so they arrive at their imaginary destination in style. Bates captures perfectly a child's direct voice and her delight in trying on adult roles and feats. Taylor's splashy, eccentric watercolors pick up the energy and joy in Georgina's yarn, making this a trip worth taking again and again. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)