RHINOS WHO SURF

A wild blend of the psychedelic with folk art provides the eye-filling graphics of Mammano's first book, which has no story for mondo dudes to carve up but constructs a day in the life of some surfing rhinos using only California surfer lingo. In the process, readers become familiar with such phrases as ``full-on gnarly wipe-outs'' and ``When they shoot the tube, they are way cool in the green room.'' The jargon is certainly inventive, and the wordplay, clever juxtaposition of rhinos with surfboards, and kaleidoscope of shifting patterns may be enough to involve readers through at least one sitting. Way cool, but also of limited usefulness. (glossary) (Picture book. 2-6)