THE ANIMALS' CHRISTMAS CAROL

In the most stylish of this year's beast-based Nativity picture books, arresting, meticulously detailed ink-and-watercolor portraits of animals receive gold accents while varying fonts set off different aspects of the text. One by one, various creatures pledge their services to the baby Jesus sleeping in the nearby manger. Readers won't mind the few rough spots in Ward's (The Hare and the Tortoise) rhyming verse, inspired by a French Christmas carol with roots in the 12th or 13th century; they have plenty to admire in her finely wrought artwork. All ages. (Oct.)