THE MOST BEAUTIFUL KID IN THE WORLD

Annie wants to be the most beautiful kid in the world for her grandmother, who is coming to dinner. The starched green ensemble her mother recommends just won't do: It's itchy and tight, with no Çlan, no pizzazz. So Annie cobbles together an outlandish costume of her favorite pieces of clothing and jewelry, chosen for comfort and shine. When Grandma enters, she is likewise decked out in high style, and her first words declare Annie the most beautiful kid in the world. Ericsson (No Milk!, 1993) takes this ode to dressing up right out of real life; Annie's behavior has nothing to do with rebellion or rugged individualism but with a small girl's absolute focus on the articles of dress that she believes will look nice. The text may be too minimal to inspire children who don't share Annie's interests; to them she may come across as frenetic in the extreme, despite the best efforts of Meddaugh, whose illustrations are all sharp black outlines and splashes of candy color. (Picture book. 3+)