AZOR

Animals talked to Azor -- but the grownups refused to believe him when he quoted them. It got him into trouble, and he tried to learn to keep quiet about it. But finally he had to use the information the gulls gave him to help find a lost child. Matter-of-fact handling of fairy tale aspects give this a contagious kind of humor that children will like, but I have a feeling that children will resent the lack of fair play in Azor's letting out the turtles his brother had caught and pocketing the proceeds for himself. It certainly raises a question of youthful ethics. On most counts the story will pass muster, and the format of the book is charming.