ALBERT'S NAP

Short on savvy, long on oafishness, this ode to frustration is as balky as the theme. Albert, a hippopotamus, settles down to a nap. A mosquito makes an appearance, bedeviling the planned siesta. Albert loses his composure and with increasing ferocity, pursues the little bloodsucker, first with his hand and eventually by hurling the contents of the entire house. Naptime resumes when Albert opens a window and the pest flies out. The vibrant, raggedy- edged watercolors float amiably on a sea of white, but unlike Grejniec's previous books (Good Morning, Good Night, 1993, etc.) the story itself feels artificial from start to finish. Neither character inspires any sympathy, and it's not always clear just who is uttering the lines of minimalist text; if that ambiguity is intended, it's likely to confuse the book's audience. (Picture book. 3-5)