HUMPTY DUMPTY CLIMBS AGAIN

Horowitz’s twist on the familiar nursery rhyme falls a little like Humpty Dumpty himself—flat. When the King’s Horses and Men fail to put Humpty Dumpty back together, they call the doctor, who succeeds and tells the egg to be more careful. Thereupon he retreats to his living room, where he sits around in his underwear watching television and eating chips. A visit from the Dish doesn’t stir him from his chair…but a Spider does. At the Little Dog’s laughter (he’s in his underwear after all), Humpty heads for the anonymity of the hills. But when he discovers a horse stuck up on the wall, he cannot stand idly by. He grabs safety equipment (which he never again climbs without) and heads to the rescue. Horowitz’s artwork keeps the details minimal in order to maximize the humor, which rests mainly on speech bubbles, facial expressions and tighty-whiteys. What with the fairly adult treatment of Humpty’s funk, this will not be a standout on the fractured nursery-rhyme shelf, but it might garner some laughs for the underwear. (Picture book. 3-7)