FELIX'S HAT

When Felix loses his favorite orange visored cap on a trip to the pond, his family is wonderfully sympathetic: teenage Philomena takes him out in a boat to look for it; little Freda offers to share her teddy at bedtime; and Mommy tells Felix a comforting story—but it's big brother Frank who comes up with the gift that helps Felix fall asleep that night: ``Here, buddy, it's my old red hat that I won at the County Fair.'' What makes this story special—and deliciously funny—is that the characters are frogs who stand as erect as humans, and certainly exhibit human behavior, but are also very frog-like when they get among the lily pads. The lively, well-honed text is sprinkled with amusing details (Felix in an inner tube pretending to be a Cheerio in milk, etc.); Gruenberg's illustrations, in delicate pen lines and bright watercolors with a green theme, are warm with humor and a keen understanding of the family scene. A fine debut for this new team. (Picture book. 4-8)