AUNT ISABEL MAKES TROUBLE

From the creator of endearing guinea pigs comes the second sweet book about mice heroines and cockroach villains. Employing the same story-within-a-story format readers will recognize from Aunt Isabel Tells A Good One (1992), Aunt Isabel spins a naptime yarn for Penelope; every time Aunt Isabel seems ready to come to a close, Penelope says, ``BUT,'' thereby forcing the tale in a new direction. The fairy-tale takeoff stars Lady Nell, a penniless princess who tries to reach her prince's castle in time for his birthday, stopping only to thwart a band of marauding cockroaches. The technique of constant interruption on the part of Penelope may mimic child listeners, but is not as effective as the device used in the first book, which threaded whats, whens, and whys into an already well-told story. Jaunty watercolor illustrations are replete with detail, from the matchbox mouse furnishings and pierced ears to the hidden thieves. The chatty style is lighthearted and the plot full of good-humored twists and turns, even if the pace occasionally lags. Children will anticipate the satisfying outcome and surely applaud the mouse heroine who chews bubble gum and hurls a mean cherry drop. Mice and princesses are a tried-and-true winning combination, and readers of the first book as well as fans of Angelina Ballerina will not be disappointed. (Picture book. 4-7)