NOBODY

A lovable psychological ploy--that also presents Patience Brewster (Dame Wiggins of Lee . . ., Ellsworth and the Cats from Mars) with a showcase for her pared-down draughtsmanship and straight-faced drollery. Sarah comes home from school one day in a ""grumpy"" mood; says she's frowning at ""Nobody""; and then, at her mother's instigation, acquires Nobody as a regular playmate: an engaging stick-and-circle-figure who perfectly complements the lightly outlined, almost-doll-like Sarah. Some of Nobody's utility is obvious: ""On Thursday, Sarah was in a hurry. She left her room in a mess. But guess who helped her clean it up when she came home from school? Nobody."" Interspersed is pure whimsy: ""On Tuesday Miss Fosdick said, 'Nobody is sick today.' All the children cheered except Sarah. She felt sorry for Nobody. How would you feel if everyone was glad you were sick?"" The only false note comes at the end: inside a box, on Sarah's birthday, is a Nobody doll: ""Now Nobody really was somebody."" Children, one suspects, will find Nobody far more real in Brewster's drawings and Sarah's imagination.