Oswald
Oswald the octopus, whom youngsters may recognize from the Nick Jr. series, moves to Big City and meets many pleasant neighbors in this thoroughly polite picture book. Oswald, a violet-blue orb resembling Pac-Man with tiny tentacles and a bowler hat, drives into town with only "his pet hot dog," Weenie, for company. Right away, the two have trouble moving a piano into their building: "`Whew!' said Oswald as he caught his breath. `Creak!' said the stairs as the piano started to roll down them.... `Splinkie, splinkie, splinkie,' said the piano as it rolled down the sidewalk." To recapture the runaway instrument, Oswald enlists the help of a lazy penguin named Henry, a flower called Daisy and a baker-insect named Madame Butterfly. By the time the group pushes the piano back home, lonely Oswald has seven new friends. Yaccarino (Deep in the Jungle) adopts the earnest tone of a "Dick and Jane" reader. Weenie often says, "Bark! Bark!" and Oswald is described as a "friendly fellow." The author/illustrator balances the old-fashioned sincerity with smooth, digitally rendered images of oddball characters like his tentacled hero (who doffs his hat at each introduction), a stiff tree that walks on its roots and a snowman who sells ices. This cheery story of cooperation introduces a group of optimistic characters that readers may well hope will be back for more adventures. Ages 3-6.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.