THE QUEEN'S HOLIDAY
by Margaret Wild & illustrated by Sue O'Loughlin
From Australia, a merry romp of a fantasy: the Queen is plump, elderly Victoria, who sets out for the beach, on foot, with a large entourage—a butler carrying an elegant morning tea, a lady-in-waiting with the royal potty, etc. In the holiday spirit, the functionaries get into mischief along the way (``The maids had a pillow fight...The bodyguard shot himself in the foot''), so—good mother that she is—the Queen takes charge, sets everything to rights (She ``bandaged the bodyguard's foot...unknotted the swimming costumes''), then marches the whole crew on to the sea. O'Loughlin's lighthearted pen-and-watercolor illustrations are as much fun as the text. An amusing change of pace. (Picture book. 4-8)