Platypus

Determined to find the perfect item to complete his special collection (which includes, among other things, an old blue sneaker, a Popsicle stick, a bottle cap, and an acorn), little Platypus sets off to the beach. "He didn't know quite what he was looking for, but he was sure he'd know it when he saw it." After hemming and hawing over various treasures--seaweed, a big rock, a deflated beach ball--Platypus finds exactly the right thing: a lovely curly seashell. Unfortunately, what our funny little hero doesn't know (and what sharp-eyed readers might figure out sooner than he) is that the shell is currently occupied. Young readers in a collecting phase of their own will enjoy watching Platypus's bewilderment as his prize item keeps sneaking out at night and creeping back to the beach. Chris Riddell's cute watercolors and cheerful story will please platypuses and humans alike. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter