BEACH BALL--LEFT, RIGHT

A huge plastic ball appears on one side of each appealing double-spread photo here, with the added interest of a child (playing at the shore); an artist; a dog; a fire truck; or simply the foaming surf. Broad white margins on either side accommodate the reader's two hands—vividly labelled, as they hold the book, by the words ``left'' and ``right,'' printed in the ball's rainbow colors. Every aspect of this basic concept book is worked out with MacMillan's usual extraordinary care: many things in addition to the ball can be described as being at left or right; artfully, he controls his limited color scheme and contrives beautifully composed scenes that are virtually devoid of extraneous details. In all: a delightful means of reinforcing an essential concept. Notes on the photography and the participants. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 3-7)