NOT AGAIN, ANNA!
by Vivian French & illustrated by Alex Ayliffe
In comfortable shapes, paintbox colors, and very few words, Anna has an appealing and very recognizable day. Anna and her mom go out to the garden, and Anna gets a cookie when she remembers to say “please.” Her toy bunny wants a cookie, too, and gets messy. Anna’s efforts to wipe Bunny’s face, and then wash it in the wading pool, have predictably untidy results, but in the end, Bunny is dancing on the clothesline where the mother has put it to dry, and Anna is dancing, too. Anna, in her toddler determination and floppy hat, is a most engaging child. The cut-paper illustrations are beautifully constructed, with fold-out pages disclosing significant facets of the action. The final, extra-wide spread, where the stuffed toy and all the clothes Anna has managed to soak bounce on the line, is a vibrant, child-friendly denouement. Clean, clear colors will catch the picture-book crowd, and the simple story will hold them. (Picture book. 3-6)