cover image Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town

Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town

Richard Scarry. Golden Books, $14.99 (48pp) ISBN 978-0-307-16803-0

Pages crammed with colorful, comical characters presenting words, concepts and a myriad of objects to inquisitive youngsters-the jaunty style of the late Scarry needs no introduction to his millions of fans. Treated here to a tour of the bustling burg of Busytown, readers glimpse the inner workings of its post office, service station, school and medical center (when Lowly Worm stretches to his full height on the scale, Dr. Lion observes, ``Your weight is just about right for such a skinny fellow''). As office workers ply their various trades and merchants open their shops, the activity in this instructive metropolis never ends. A fitting encomium on Scarry's own work can be found at the Busytown Library, where the author/artist wryly observes, ``There are all kinds of writers. The best writers write children's books.'' Enough said. Ages 3-8. (Nov.)