With a deft hand, Rylant offers readers glimpses of the lives of 12 people, whose lives are altered by their contact with animals. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)

Gr 6-9 Relationships with animals change the lives of the human characters in these 12 short stories. This framework unites a variety of plots and personalities: a retired schoolteacher acquires a retired'' dog and through her reestablishes contact with children; a pet turtle helps aslow'' boy finally gain recognition at school; a boy frightened of nuclear war is comforted by the existence of a herd of cows. These are not conventional animal stories. Rylant's deliberate, straightforward style hides a quiet intensity unusual in such short pieces. She builds plot and character simultaneously, with precisely chosen verbs and adverbs; no drawn-out descriptions are needed. A character takes a few steps, says a few words and readers know him. Although the style is not difficult to read, the tone of the stories, the basic sense of human loneliness and isolation which comes through, makes them more suitable for older readers. (One third of the stories have adult protagonists.) Besides being enjoyed for themselves, the stories would make a good classroom read-aloud, generating lots of discussion. They would also be suitable for older reluctant readers. Finely detailed, boxed pen-and-ink drawings of the animal protagonist, precede each story and express its tone. Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library