Thankyouplease

Even the flash and dazzle of the circus can't mask the didactic message of this book about manners. In the opening scene, Winters outlines his six-year-old heroine's rude tendencies: "Nina has a big mouth. She is often grumpy and talks back." Sent outdoors by her mother, Nina promptly scolds her dog, dresses up as a knight, and discovers something interesting: a hole within a tree that contains a circus. Nina soon meets Thankyouplease, ringmaster of the Circus of Good Manners%E2%80%94a place with many delights to share, as long as one knows how to behave. After learning polite greetings, expressing gratitude for cotton candy and a successful stint on the trapeze, and asking a clown to ride his bicycle, Nina is a changed girl. When Nina's mother later asks if it's time to eat, Nina responds, "Oh, yes, Mommy, please. I am sure that you've prepared a delicious dinner." Working in deep reds and blues, Ortelli contributes sumptuous, whimsical paintings that make the circus feel like a magical place indeed%E2%80%94yet still not as magical as Nina's transformation. Ages 5%E2%80%93up. (June)