PUG, SLUG, AND DOUG THE THUG

The eponymous characters here are villains; the heroes are ``A lone boy. A slow-lopin', quick-thinkin', bare-footin', straw- chewin' boy'' and his sidekicks: a ``mean'' dog (``flea-nippin', tail-tuckin','' etc.) and a ``cool'' cat (``alley-rovin', ear- missin'...''). When the ``bad guys'' mosey into the Dry Gulp Saloon (where a sign offers a reward for their capture), a slapstick battle follows, its intricate action as neatly choreographed as the comically concise verse that describes it. The boy's straw is key: spit at a chandelier, it ignites, flies into a poker game, and starts a fire. In the ensuing melee, the mop bucket goes ``bowlin' over Slug,/And just like the boy was hopin', all that sloppy, slimy soapin'/Made it mighty easy— /ropin' Doug the Thug.'' Redenbaugh's caricatures have an energy and angularity that suit the story well, though her soft color pencils weren't the best choice of medium; the illustrations don't have quite the brisk authority that propels the verse. Still, a satisfying tall tale, and great fun to read aloud. (Picture book. 4-10)