SOMEDAY

An animal story sparked with sly incongruities that give it a mellow humor. ``I like the beach,'' says Gull, rolling up his pants to wade, and he buys a boat—from a crow. Price: five clams, which Gull doesn't have, but after negotiation—and beachcombing—Crow settles for three, plus a shell and a pebble. More animals join Gull for his first outing; but the boat (``Someday'') hasn't been launched, so there's new bargaining with Crow, who tells them how to get it into the water. Next, they're lost at sea, and then the lunch is missing—each mishap calls for exchanges of help, clams, and banter, all resulting in natural, entertaining repetitions of key words in classic easy- reader style. Paterson's wide-eyed, cartoon-style animal characters are lively and appealing; the text is imposed on inviting watercolor backgrounds. Fun for all concerned. (Easy reader. 4-8)