FUN WITH MRS. THUMB

Poor Mrs. Thumb! In Bayley's small, exquisitely detailed illustrations, the little wooden doll moves from room to room of a quaint, beautifully furnished dollhouse, vainly trying to keep out of reach of a complacently self-absorbed cat—``Do you like/hide-and seek?/Let's play you're/a mouse—/I'll bite, you squeak.'' Mark's succinct, artfully phrased text darts and pounces like Puss herself, while the nicely varied art pictures the cat outside the little house plus glimpses from within, where only a predatory paw or bit of nose and whisker can make their way through the tiny window. Finally, a big hand rescues Mrs. Thumb and feeds the cat, but the respite is temporary—``...in a while...I'll look through the window...with my smile/and all my lovely teeth.'' An elegant little charmer of a book. (Picture book. 4-8)