THE FOUR-LEGGED GHOSTS

Alex Brodie and his sister long for a pet, but Carrie's asthma keeps them from having one until Alex is finally allowed a white mouse in his room. ``Cedric'' is no ordinary mouse—he summons up his own grandfather and then, as the days pass, the many former animal inhabitants of the Victorian house. There are visible signs of their presence (the rabbits shred Dad's lettuce), but they can be seen only by the children, who especially love the allergy-free dogs and cats. Cedric, it develops, is the familiar of the family's new boarder, Mungo, a magician; like the sorcerer's apprentice, the mouse has instigated more than he can control, and the manifestations are about to culminate in an angry elephant (from an elephant-foot umbrella stand) when Mungo steps in. Likable characters, lively action, and a fresh take on tried-and-true themes—all make this easy chapter book from the author of Amazing Grace (1991) a winner. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 7-11)