REBEL

With ``long columns of crunching, hard-faced soldiers,'' the General and his artillery march over Burma's dusty plains to order a playground destroyed while children watch. Then, as he boasts of his plans (``You will give me half of everything you make...the children will learn only of my heroic battles...''), a child's thong flies from a window and knocks off his hat. Furious, he demands a lineup to identify the thongless culprit, but even his own troops dissolve in laughter when the whole school steps forth—barefoot. Based on a true incident that occurred in Rangoon, the simply told story epitomizes the senseless injustice of despotism and how courage and humor may counter its excesses. The Chinese-born artist caricatures the general in a cartoon style rendered in soft pencil and watercolors; informal in tone, Wu's illustrations are effective in relaying the strong message, while the subtle diversity of expression on the faces conveys a range of intense feelings. A valuable offering, suggesting a variety of creative uses. (Picture book. 5-10)