The View

This environmental object lesson calls to mind the biblical tale of the tower of Babel. In a small, idyllically situated community, ``each house had a completely different, but equally beautiful view.'' When one inhabitant opts to broaden his panorama with ``a little addition on top of his house,'' he blocks a neighbor's vista. A building fever soon has all the town residents in its grip, and before long no one can see anything for all the frantic high-rise construction. Not content to learn a lesson, however, these opportunistic townsfolk reach a truce only to embark on another voyage of one-upmanship. Though the sagacious message here may be lost on little ones, the vibrantly colored images should keep them happily turning pages. As in The King Who Sneezed and The Clock Shop , Henwood uses an extravagant and unexpected palette--teals, fuchsias, chartreuses and aquamarines cast their glow over this brilliant burg. An urban--and urbane--charmer. Ages 4-8. (Mar . )