Just as a boy named Banjo is about to eat dinner, his sausage, Melvin, jumps up and runs off, accompanied by the dish, fork, knife, carrots (all girls named Caroline, Clara, etc.), peas (all boys named Peter, Percival and Paul) and so on. With a wacky, whimsical narrative that takes as many detours as its participants, Ahlberg's writing is stylistically accomplished and decidedly British. So, why Americanize the story with French fries and baseball instead of chips and cricket? Ingman's childlike paintings incorporating ink sketches are expressively and colorfully detailed with personified objects, chronicling the energetic journey from kitchen table to city sidewalk to park pathway and back. Various calamities ensue (a pigeon eats Percival the pea and a duck eats Paul, while the plate becomes a Frisbee), before Banjo sits down to a plum pie for his replacement dinner. More sophisticated in structure than the classic tales and verses that inspired it, this madcap riff is for primary-grade readers-and their clever parents. (Picture book. 5-8)

Allan Ahlberg tells yet another unusual tale. Poised to enjoy his evening repast, young Banjo Cannon must spring from the table as the sausage, accompaniments, and furnishings rise and take flight. The chase is on! But one must not be lulled into thinking that all is lost. Jeff Woodman narrates with boyish gusto. If a sausage, peas, and French fries, each with a name, are hiding in the park, then he is going to find them. Urgency sets the pace but does not crowd out enunciation or emphasis of each story detail. Youngsters will be intrigued and will engage best in listening and looking at the book. A.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine