THE SHORT AND INCREDIBLY HAPPY LIFE OF RILEY

Laying it on with a trowel, Thompson contrasts Riley, a rat who never wants more than he has and so leads a blissful existence, with people, who industriously pack their far longer lives with utter misery by craving massive quantities of food, goods and power, along with different bodies and lifestyles. The illustrations follow, offering scenes of a red-nosed, big-eared, cheery-looking rodent alternating with views of a dumpy human gent beneath a localized shower of rain, caressing his possessions or examining himself unhappily in a mirror. The author shoehorns in an antiwar side comment—“People, of course, should never be allowed to have sticks with pointy ends, because they stick them into each other”—and closes by urging readers to “Release your inner Riley.” An award winner in Australia, this combination of occasionally witty art and bluntly delivered message(s) just might stir some readers to check their priorities. (Picture book. 7-10)