ANTICS!

Not truly an anthology—though the pun is forgivable—but an alphabet of words with the syllable ``ant'' (``Brilliant,'' ``Immigrants,'' ``Rembrandt,'' ``Xanthophile''), accompanied by imaginatively conceived ant characters: a slim, armored ``Gallant'' bowing to his monarch; ``Kant'' with pen and quizzically furrowed brow; a giant ``Mutant'' menacing an anteater; an ``Observant'' sleuth. Some of the whimsical details will most amuse older children, but there's a good balance between the accessible and words that provide a stretch. The deft color illustrations are in a smooth, lithograph-like style, entertainingly at odds with their lively content. A delightful vocabulary expander. (Picture book. 4-10)