ANANCY AND MR. DRY-BONE

A Greenaway medalist noted for offbeat stories as well as exciting graphics borrows from African and Caribbean folklore to spin her own tale. Mr. Dry-Bone, turned out fine in top hat and checked trousers, has a flat, white face—not scary but clearly a skull. Black Anancy's warmly rounded face hints of mischief; he's sleek in his close-fitting jeans. Both want to marry Miss Louise, but she'll have only the one who makes her laugh. Mr. Dry-Bone, a conjurer, becomes one beast after another to no avail. Anancy's animal friends loan him their clothes but only their second best, resulting in ``the weirdest get-up''—and laughter that wins him his bride. The pointed subtext here is mellowed in an amiable conclusion (even Mr. Dry-Bone laughs); meanwhile, French plays the vibrant black-and-white patterns in her fabrics and architecture against gently glowing sunsets and judicious touches of intense color to stunning visual effect. A thoughtful, entertaining story in a unique, richly imaginative visual setting. (Picture book. 4-10)