THE REVEREND THOMAS'S FALSE TEETH

For Gillerlain's first book, a lighthearted, high-spirited retelling of an old Eastern Shore tall tale about a preacher, on his way to dinner, who accidently drops his false teeth in the bay. Crab nets and oyster tongs fail to retrieve the submerged choppers, but little Gracie hooks them on a hand line, using her mother's fried chicken for bait, because ``Preacher Thomas said he could not keep his teeth out of good fried chicken.'' Schutzer's hot, bright colors and swirling line suit the broad humor and energy of the tale; especially striking is a spread of brother Will diving for the teeth among fish and eelgrass, broken crockery and old boots. (Picture book/folklore. 5-9)