STORM'S COMING

As a thunderstorm looms on the horizon, several woodland creatures—two squirrels, a fox, a badger, several rabbits, a mouse, and an owl—scamper for shelter. One wordless two-page spread shows the storm-lashed forest and meadow; then the rain abates, and the animals poke their noses outside again. The squirrels, who hide out in a convenient hollow log, are overjoyed to find a cache of nuts inside. Although the Saunderses (Brave Jack, 1993, etc.) story is clichÇd, the details of nature give it charm: Each animal names its own particular shelter, and the storm's progress is minutely described, from the first heavy drops to the sun breaking through again. And the drawings are a joy, vivid and simple, with Van Goghlike brushstrokes giving them kinetic energy and texture. On most spreads, there's one small horizontal scene below the text, faced by a full-page illustration, which sets up a pleasing rhythm. Like Bambi in miniature; it should enchant any kid who's ever been caught in the rain. (Fiction/Picture book. 1-6)