Munia and the Day Things Went Wrong

With a little more text than many picture books, these two stories are ideal in subject matter and length for children just beginning to master reading. In the first title, Munia wakes up grouchy and misbehaves all day. When she begins to worry that her family will not forgive her, she dons a hat and a new nameMrs. Blincoand drops in on them to test the waters. Her discovery? They still love Munia but fear she no longer loves them. In the second book, Munia's teeth are falling out, and she is afraid that they won't grow in. That night, crocodiles snap at her in her bedroom and she feels defenseless until a little orange crocodile, also toothless, joins her. Balzola's stories are lightly controlled, moving along at a clipped pace, but lingering on important points: that family is family no matter how bad the day; that teeth grow in no matter how long the wait. Childlike and ephemeral, the pictures are done in watercolor; loose brushstrokes define shapes, and patterns are hinted at in friendly pastels. Ages 5-7. (September)