WOOD-HOOPOE WILLIE

Willie is one of those children who, wherever they are and whatever they're doing, raps and knocks, shakes and taps. His parents aren't unsympathetic, though they often remind him that the time or place—church, a Chinese restaurant, school—is inappropriate, and sometimes they lose patience. Daddy asks, ``Have you got a loose switch somewhere?'' while even Grandma scolds, ``William, that will do!'' Grandpa, however, sees Willie's incessant preoccupation as an opportunity to recall the family's roots, describing instruments he once saw on a visit to Africa and suggesting that there's a wood-hoopoe inside Willie, pecking its African rhythms. The conclusion is pat but satisfying: the drummer can't make it to the African-American Center for the fifth night of Kwanzaa (the celebration of Nia, or purpose), and Willie proudly takes his place. An effective interweaving of wholesome family dynamics and African heritage in the context of the observance of Kwanzaa; Roundtree's colorful realistic illustrations glow with life. (Picture book. 4-8)