"NIGHT HOUSE, BRIGHT HOUSE"

In a cavalcade of interior scenes and columns of precise rhymes, Wellington (Night Rabbits, 1995, etc.) once again finds that the wee hours are not so quiet for scampering nocturnal animals. All night long, mice tear through the house where the only human seen is a sleeping girl. Under whimsical headings such as ""Racing, Chasing in the Kitchen"" and ""Dashing, Splashing in the Bathroom,"" the mice careen through rooms while their shenanigans are related in an extraordinary text, composed entirely of lists of rhyming exclamations by the objects pictured: ""'What a mess,' said the dress. 'They'll clean up,' said the cup. . . . 'Fat chance,' said the pants."" Some of the rhymes are wildly funny to read aloud and are sure to become familiar phrases in households that adopt this irresistible book, which ends at dawn--bedtime for the mice. The pictures are composed of bold, clear forms, perfectly executed by an artist whose talent is as sure as her design sense. Layers upon layers of objects, decor, and action remain uncluttered as the mice make a mess of everything. Parodies of masterpieces hang on the walls, while each line of text ends with a spot drawing of the object being quoted. To rave about typefaces and graphically tidy borders would detract from the original and compelling content.