JONATHAN FREDERICK ALOYSIUS BROWN

The title is a good illustration of what is wrong with the book -- it goes on for too long about too little. Turn-of-the-century Jonathan gets separated from his mother at a circus parade, is found by policemen who are standing before a department store which is being robbed. The thief falls over Jonathan and the boy becomes the accidental hero of the hour with prior rights to the seat of honor on the elephant in the parade. The rhyme is accurate and the meter is monotonous. The illustrations are reminiscent of the transparent wax mannequins of the early 20th century, and human figures together with circus animals are crowded on the pages.