TANGLETALK

An agreeably nonsensical, prettily illustrated tale in verse, where ``the flowers were singing sweetly,/The birds were in full bloom.'' Tangletalk takes its inspiration from a Liverpool chant collected by the Opies in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren (1959), and follows the venerable tradition of such delectable silliness as ``Rain Makes Applesauce.'' No one and nothing does what is expected in this romp as the hero, attired in tails, vest, and pocketwatch, finds nannies in the birdbath, police officers hiding acorns while squirrels are on parade, and socks simmering in a pot while lunch is hung out to dry. The clear pastel illustrations give the tale a Victorian setting and include a truly improbable number of cats. A pleasant diversion. (Picture book. 4-7)