ROGER GETS CARRIED AWAY

Wild encounters with a succession of toothy, googly-eyed space aliens bring a reluctant lad around to accepting his first pair of glasses. As “Captain Kaboodle,” Roger insists that he doesn’t need specs. But roaring away from his bedroom out into space to collect a billion pairs of glasses for the many-eyed residents of Planet Zarfnutt, he bumps into an immense Astro Blob, among so many other Things, that he at last reluctantly dons his own pair. Imagine his delight to see a whole new universe, replete with sharp stars, previously unreadable road signs and oogly passersby. With cartoon art, Rogé fills each busy page with jumbles of eyes, aliens and action, cranking the already-headlong pace of Roger’s flight up several notches. Younger readers for whom Lane Smith’s Glasses, Who Needs ’Em? (1991) is a little too far out will come along more happily on this ride. (Picture book. 6-8)