NO ROOM FOR NAPOLEON

In this pointed allegory, an aptly named dog “with very big ideas” persuades the animal residents of an idyllic island to convert all of the local resources into a mountain for him to perch atop, then repents when the laborers decamp to the next island paradise over. Meserve depicts the island’s transformation from leafy lushness to gray, barren-looking wasteland in broadly brushed cartoon scenes, then closes on a cheerier note as Napoleon welcomes his erstwhile slaves back after single-handedly restoring the island to its former beauty. It all seems a little too easy, and parts of this, such as how Napoleon recruits a volunteer workforce simply through force of personality, may be over the heads of younger readers, but the idea that reckless development is bad for the environment comes through loud and clear. (Picture book. 6-8)