Tiffky Doofky (by William Steig)

In the tradition of all the wonderful William Steig books, you just have to believe in the reality of magic, the power of love, and simple courage. You can trust Steig's instinct for language, story, and illustration to bring your child a magical combination. Simple, cartoonlike drawings of the animals' world (thick black line, thin watercolor) turn magically complex with Tiffky's visit to the dump. All invoke key action at every twist and turn of plot, and you could almost decipher the story just from the pictures -- but you'd miss half the fun!

Steig's trademark language play is in full swing with Tiffky's every adventure. Steig subtly adds several lessons: One man's garbage is Tiffky's treasure, his furnishings, his wardrobe. Hear that, consumer kids? And early in the book, there's a visual clue to the identity of his lady love.