Stowaway
as cranes, chry santhemums, and fans opposite real istic representations of the story. The message is not subtle; thus, the book will be most useful in parenting col lections, where a direct approach to problems affecting children Grade 2-3-- "Mommy, are there enormous waves on the ocean?" "Of course." "And terrible storms?" "Maybe once in a while." But despite his apprehensions, Hubie's mouse family takes a cruise to France. The plot emphasizes action, not that special touch of friendship that characterized Hubie's vacation in Sea View Hotel (Greenwillow, 1978). Here, poor Hubie is homesick and afraid of the ship's height. He's thrown around his cabin when water gushes in from a porthole. And he can't make friends. That is, until he meets Claude, a stowaway. The style here is much the same as in Stevenson's earlier effort, with dialogue in cloudlike voice balloons, a comic-strip format, cartoon illustrations, and square captioned boxes to introduce new scenes. The book is enlivened with pastel watercolor washes, unlike its black-and-white predecessor. It's pure adventure: Hubie and Claude are chased by the captain, and they bravely hide in the crow's nest. Children will love it. --Denise Krell, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.