THE DALLAS TITANS GET READY FOR BED

The author of The Philharmonic Get, Dressed (Harper & Row, 1982) focusses on a different set of culture-heroes for another funny and informative behind-the-scenes picture. The Big Game is won. ""Standing on the field. . .the Titans look like giants or bulldozers. Standing in the showers. . .they look like small wet whales."" Going from one state to the other requires peeling off layer after layer of clothing, and as the players disrobe they produce a gloriously cluttered locker room: ""pads, socks and tape; socks, shirts and jerseys; wristbands, gloves, socks, shoes and underwear. . ."" Simont's elegant (and discreet) illustrations capture the athletes' abilities during the game and their individual personalities afterward as they shower, change, eat and go to an early bed, to dream of next Sunday's Big Game. Kuskin does not discard the old football stereotypes, but she does poke a few holes in them.