ELEPHANT PIE

When toothy Mrs. Snipper-Snapper asks for cherry pie—with ``lots of custard''—for her birthday, her crocodile husband orders it from Mrs. Elephant. The good pachyderm never notices that little Jojo has crawled under the crust of the completed pie—but she's so flustered to find Jojo missing that she uses mustard for the custard. It all works out: when Jojo's brother Edward delivers the pie (much diminished by other animals' nibbling along the way), Mrs. Snipper-Snapper's crocodile tears of disappointment are quickly allayed by the sight of the tender little elephant; fortunately, a quick application of mustard sauce spoils the crocodiles' appetites, and Edward and Jojo make their escape. Like Offen's Nice Work, Little Wolf! (1992), an attractive original offering with bright, action-filled illustrations and enough humor and suspense to delight the picture book group. (Picture book. 4-8)