FUNNY, FUNNY LYLE

Fans of the gentle crocodile will be delighted to see him return in a sixth cheerfully reassuring story. As we remember from the last installment, Lyle's mother has been found. She has a new name, Felicity, and has settled in happily at the house on East 88th Street. Lyle is delighted with things as they are, but change does come. The Primms now have to put locks on their doors and ""Beware of Crocodiles"" signs on their windows. However, it is Felicity who is arrested for theft as the result of a misunderstanding during a shopping trip. Sentenced to community service, she chooses work in a hospital, and Lyle must adjust to the fact that his mother is no longer at home. Things work out happily, though, as Felicity is on the spot to escort Mrs. Primm to the hospital, where she gives birth to a sister for Joshua. In a warm, low-key style, Waber deals with several issues concerning Lyle's loyal readers. His simple writing style and splashy, colorful pictures have a pleasant undercurrent of humor. This may not be great literature, but it will be well-loved.