JENNY'S BEAR

When Jenny says she wants a real bear, her mother helps her clean out their old shed to make a den, which they furnish with Jenny's ``hundreds'' of toy bears. And though Mom says it's not possible, a real bear does turn up in time to share Jenny's pretend tea (sharp-eyed readers may note how heavy Jenny's eyes look just before this happens); then, after a discouragingly long absence, the bear comes back with several of his friends. This time, he's brought the tea—``pretend, of course.'' The gently humorous text deftly conveys the delicate boundary between fantasy and reality in a child's play. Goulding provides an adorable crowd of bears, both toy and ``real,'' in her warmhearted watercolors; pictures of Jenny reading sad and funny stories to her huge, affectionate visitor, and later hugging him goodbye, are especially appealing. Perfect for a preschool story time—especially if the children have been invited to bring along their own bears. (Picture book. 4-7)