THE ANIMAL PARADE

A Collection of Stories and Poems, as well as several excerpts—e.g., from White Fang, Black Beauty, and the editor's own novels. The open format and relaxed, often humorous illustrations make this an attractive offering; a "Reading List" points out the longer books excerpted, but it's not clear which of the rest of King-Smith's own offerings (19 of the 30 entries, including four of his retellings of Aesop's fables) are new here. It seems somewhat like self-advertisement, but King-Smith is such a fine, likable, and entertaining writer that it also doesn't seem to matter. A pleasant introduction to the diversity of styles—from whimsical to heroic—represented by this subject. (Anthology. 7-10)