RUDE RAMSAY AND THE ROARING RADISHES

In her second alliterative adventure for children, Canadian writer Atwood focuses on words beginning with the letter R, reeling off strings of adjectives and actions in a rollicking tale of a red-headed boy named Ramsey and his red-nosed rat pal, Ralph. They’re tired of the food in their “ramshackle rectangular residence,” so they strike out for better grub and greener pastures elsewhere, eventually taking up residence with their new friend, a red-robed girl named Rillah. She lives in the “romantic, recently restored rectory with the rotunda.” Rillah learns that Ramsey isn’t so rude after all, especially when he has a nice place to live with good food and real friends for companionship. In lesser hands, such an extended use of alliteration might prove redundant, but Atwood’s prose is both amusing and enlightening in its use of rich vocabulary, with phrases such as “rumpled rucksack,” “raggedy ravens” and “rancid remnants of reeking rhinoceros.” Edgy watercolor illustrations use a subdued palette of green, lavender, and red with a radiant rainbow to celebrate the happy ending. (Picture book. 5-10)