HAZEL'S CIRCLE

Hazel's ``circle'' is a neighborhood journey on which, accompanied by her pet rooster, she makes deliveries and exchanges: there are eggs for artist Rae Allen, who paints Hazel's toes and gives her homemade grape juice to carry along; at Bet and Clyde's, she leaves more eggs and some juice and picks up Roger's snake—which she leaves at his house, her last stop, where she also takes a swim before heading home. The cheerful story is packed with charming details, all lovingly recorded in stylized illustrations notable for their glowing colors, lively, decorative design, and many imaginative embellishments—e.g, the rooster's checked bow tie, matching the band on Hazel's hat, and the flowers garlanding many of the scenes. Delightful. (Picture book. 4-7)