STORIES FROM OUR HOUSE

Four charming vignettes from the everyday life of a couple of ebullient children, with the sort of deliciously wry humor that Lore Segal achieved in Tell Me a Mitzi. ""The Dog Next Door"" is a pest who chews the clothes on the line; but after the accommodating neighbor shuts him in the garage, the children take him out and make friends. The dog has not changed, but their view of him has, as revealed in a neat re-use of the same words used to describe their earlier dislike. Other stories involve a battle and truce with the ants in the backyard, and the demise and replacement of a set of glass mugs. It's a world where accidents happen, but also a warm, safe place where problems are amiably solved. Unusually vigorous, evocative illustrations in a distinctive, humorous style perfectly complement the text. Usable as an easy young-reader. A winner.