Helpin Bugs

Hanna's feeling friendless, bored and in the way (Dad's busy unpacking at their new house and doesn't need her help; Mom's feeding baby brother), but things start looking up when she meets Douglas, the boy across the street. Together, the children make a bug village, garden, cafeteria (with cracker crumbs), hospital--even a bug marina, with a fleet of acorn-cap bug boats. By day's end, the foundation for a solid friendship has been laid, and Hanna has cleared moving's biggest hurdle. It's a familiar theme (albeit spiced up with the bug subplot) relayed in an artificially upbeat manner (``The little boy across the street must certainly be important, she thought. He wore a big, red fireman's hat, and a shiny, gold sheriff's badge.... He also wore a backpack that seemed to be filled with treasures''). Like the story, Houghton's warm if static oil paintings determinedly focus on suburbia's sunniest aspects. A little too pat to be of much comfort to readers facing similar situations. Ages 3-8. (Nov.)