Animals: Minipops

If good things come in small packages, this quartet of Nursery Board Mini Pop books exemplifies the adage four times over. Formated in very small sizes for very small hands, these unique concept books will charm and surprise on each of their six spreads. Fetching pop-up versions of the books' subjects are provided via simple paper engineering--no intracies here to be demolished on first viewing. In the first title, a staunch soldier leaps up to wave, a kite springs forth and startles a passing robin; in Animals , a somersaulting mouse kicks up his heels, a tropical fish comes up for air. Numbers offers pop-up numerals matching familiar objects--two dazzling socks are particularly splendid. The eye-catching colorations here are perhaps more varied than those found in other board books, while the depictions themselves are suitably straightforward. Four cheers for these durable delights. Ages 2-5. (Oct.)