TROUBLE WITH TROLLS

Treva and her dog Tuffi are setting out over the mountain when a small, engaging troll tries to kidnap Tuffi. Quick-witted Treva gets him to take her mittens instead, only to confront another dog-loving troll—who is satisfied with Treva's hat. So it goes until, on the mountaintop, Treva tricks the trolls into giving back her things, and—dog in arms—``flies'' on her skis, down the mountain and out of reach. It's a beguiling variant of the lost clothes theme that made Little Black Sambo so popular (without, of course, its less fortunate qualities); as an added attraction, the troll's underground mÇnage provides a charmingly detailed border and an amiable subplot suggesting that the trolls will soon find a more suitable pet. Nicely plotted, with unusually imaginative and appealing illustrations featuring Norwegian folk art motifs, rendered with verve and exquisite care. (Picture book. 4-8)