HARRY AND CHICKEN

Harry, an extraterrestrial disguised as a talking cat, invites himself home with Sara Jane (""Chicken""), who does her best to keep him hidden since her mother hates cats. But Harry's insatiable appetite makes it hard to keep him secret; once he's discovered, Chicken gets to keep him after all: Trying to explain that he's an alien, she inadvertently convinces her parents that she's desperately lonely and needs a pet. Heap's frequent illustrations, sketched with an agile and vigorous pen, enliven the format, but--given the subject matter--this is remarkably pedestrian; one can't help wishing for a zany raconteur like Daniel Pinkwater. A sequel to follow.