ROLY-POLIES

A multitalented family of googly-eyed bugs lives underneath the Grand Variety Theatre. They're called roly-polies; or, more properly, the Poly family. They're only an inch tall, with big eyes, a snout, feelers and 16 legs. (The two each stands on wear shoes.) Carretero's breakdown of roly-poly anatomy resembles a lab chart. For ease of movement, they can roll up into a ball. Like their aboveground human counterparts, the roly-polies are savvy performers, each with unique, brightly colored ensembles. They include: Maggie the Mouth, a captivating storyteller; Castor and Eurydice, dramatic superstars of the stage; lounge singer Ramon Bonbon, who sports a Salvador Dalí moustache; dancer Glamorous Gabrielle; magicians Izzy and Whizzy; and many more. One day, a visitor changes their lives forever. A flamboyant flea named Hopping Henrietta arrives on a messenger pigeon all the way from Moscow and exhorts the roly-polies to see the world as travelling performers. Henrietta is an artists' agent, you see. At last, the Poly family is able to fulfill great-great Grandpa's dream to have their own troupe! Carretero's imagination is loopy and delicious; her cheeky, multi-colored illustrations have a dash of Gahan Wilson. As the bulk of the book is set up and description of the different bugs, it's awfully light on actual story. An excess of whimsy doesn't make up for absence of plot. (Picture book. 6-9)