THE NARROW ESCAPES OF SOLOMON SMART

Solomon crept out on a weak branch of an old tree. ""'You'd better jump down,' warned his mother, ""'before you fall down'.'"" Solomon did, and after he congratulated himself on his narrow escape he started a game of make-believe with himself as a baby animal about to get into danger. His mother played right along as she thought up appropriate ways to rescue Solomon. His father, grandfather and older brother joined in too. The book is lap-sized and the right shape for sharing with a pre-school child. The cartoonish illustrations are bright, active, very well detailed. Very young children will be likely to latch on to the game, and the book is thoroughly reassuring.