"Runny Babbit lent to wunch / And heard the saitress way, / 'We have some lovely stabbit rew-- / Our special for today.' " Shel Silverstein's slightly askew sabbit raga leads children quickly down a cascading road of giggles as the author of Where the Sidewalk Ends introduces readers to a host of new characters: Toe Jurtle, Skertie Gunk, Rirty Dat, Dungry Hog, Snerry Jake, and, of course, Runny Babbit himself.

Described as "a work in progress for over twenty years," this posthumous gathering of new verses and line drawings plays too long on a single trope, but makes a real knee-slapper in small doses. Most of the 42 entries star flop-eared Runny Babbit (with occasional appearances from Toe Jurtle, Ramma Mabbit, Ploppy Sig and similar fellow travelers) in various misadventures: A "Dungry Hog" teaches him to "trimb a clee" for instance, in the bath, "He chewed his dubber rucky up, / He gulped boap subbles too. / But what upset his Mamma most / Was shrinking the dampoo," and "Runny be quimble / Runny be nick, / Runny cump over the jandlestick. / But now-what smells like furning bluff? / Guess he didn't hump jigh enough." Like the humor, the simple line drawings accompanying each poem are vintage Silverstein-so, gip, don't sulp, and enjoy this unexpected lagniappe from one of the greats. (Poetry. 7-11)

Potential yook of the bear.” — Washington Post Book World