ROMEO AND LOU BLAST OFF

Animal pals go on a wild adventure. A clear winter’s day is perfect for some snow building. Lou the polar bear and Romeo the penguin work so quickly that they don’t realize they’ve made a rocket ship until they’re finished. When the stars come out, the rocket blasts off, flying them to a “weird new world” (which looks suspiciously like a big city). They see a forest (of traffic signs), find another rocket ship (compact car), and get chased by a shark (policeman with sharp teeth). Crossing a rickety bridge (gangplank), they take refuge on a large ship and give in to despair, until . . . a stack of cardboard boxes provides the perfect raw material for another rocket. The duo zooms home, smiling all the way. Anderson’s serviceable acrylics aren’t a match for his clever tale, which will allow young listeners to proudly display their superior knowledge of what’s what. (Picture book. 3-6)