HUNKY DORY FOUND IT

A simple, lilting text, with the book's title as a refrain for each brief couplet, describes the cheerful scavenging of a flop-eared yellow dog: grandmotherly ``Sarah Locke/dropped a sock''; ``Julie Fry/dropped Daddy's tie''; ``Laurie Cook/put down her book''; Baby Sue/kicked off her shoe''; and more. Meanwhile, Stoeke depicts the action with figures deftly sketched in broad pencil strokes and set against the lush greensward of a friendly neighborhood. When Julie finally discovers Hunky Dory's treasures under her bed, along with the big retriever himself, she puts them in a sack and ``Hunky Dory took them back''—not as likely as his collecting them, but a satisfyingly orderly conclusion for very young children. A good candidate for lap sharing, the toddler group, or simple dramatic play. (Picture book. 2-5)