HOORAY FOR GRANDMA JO!
by Thomas McKean & illustrated by Chris L. Demarest
Grandma Jo is happily expecting a visit from little Lloyd (``He'll arrive next Tuesday on the 10:30 train, and he'll be wearing his new coat with the fluffy collar'') when she loses her glasses, which means she's unable to read either the letter saying that Lloyd isn't coming after all or a newspaper warning about an escaped lion. At the station, still missing her glasses, she mistakes the lion (who's fortunately not really ``angry,'' as described) for Lloyd and takes him home for an evening of comic misconceptions, all amusingly detailed in Demarest's expressively rendered cartoons. The lion becomes a hero when a burglar happens in (an unnecessary embellishment, but one kids will enjoy); it also turns out that he's perfectly amiable when fed enough ice cream. Fine light entertainment to keep the picture-book hour giggling. (Picture book. 4-8)