Reviews

PreS Up-- This new presentation of Stevenson's classic childhood poems brings together an unusual combination of artistic technique but falls short of any notable new interpretation. The pages are reproductions of needlework borders done by Sara Gutierrez; they lend a colorful, quaint look that complements Lewis' paintings of old-fashioned children. Each poem is laid out on a page, and the artists have nicely varied placement of painting and border. Some of the scenes are imaginative, as in ``Young Night Thought,'' which shows a girl carried by two genies. Others, however, are dull, such as the boy and girl in ``Good and Bad Children''; here, the girl stands with hands behind her back looking prim while the boy sticks his tongue out at her. No attempt at universality has been made in this new edition: boys outnumber girls, and all of the children are white except one. For a classic look, editions by Tasha Tudor and Jessie W. Smith still remain the top choices. --Marianne Pilla, Upper Dublin Public Library, Dresher, PA

This compendium of information ``for, by and about young people'' features chapters on sports celebrities, health, games, clubs, history, law and science. (9-up)