Friends in the Park

Bunnett, an early childhood educator, provides animated descriptive captions for Sahlhoff's crystal-clear, full-color photos of a group of preschoolers playing in the park. What makes this photographic essay distinctive is the special needs of many of the children portrayed. The genial assembly of youngsters includes several born with Down's syndrome or cerebral palsy, and others affected by less physically obvious disorders. (The natures of these disabilites are identified in a biographical listing of the children at the back of the book--a minor irritation arises here because the list refers readers to pages with photos of each child, although pages themselves aren't numbered.) But as the children offer one another pushes on swings and drinks of water from a hose, share toys and ride happily in a variety of vehicles--from wheelchairs to tricycles--what surfaces is how very much they have in common. Together, these words and photos communicate this subtle message effectively and affectingly. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)