GREEN AND SOMETHING ELSE

If he had a mouse, ""a tawny-colored one with a wiggly nose and black eyes like poppy seeds and soft fur,"" Green (once for his painted hair, now for his cowardice) would find the boys' taunting easier to bear; when he has the mouse, Green finds the courage to gain their respect. Involved is entering a sooty, snap-crackling abandoned house at dusk, another staple in this sort of situation. But the book is something of an anomaly: small, with smallish print; commonplace elements, sensitive details; little story, lots of anxiety. You have to feel sorry for Green, but that's about all you can feel for him -- and at this age one wants more vitality, whether in a boy or in a book.