Young readers of a Richard Scarry book will not learn about the world in a deep or philosophical way. In contrast to the imaginative brooding in a Maurice Sendak work or the peculiar happiness of a Mercer Mayer book, Scarry's books focus on fun and information. As a creator of mass-market children's books, Scarry has achieved astronomical success, and although he has never received the prestigious Newbery or Caldecott Medals (though he did win an Edgar Allan Poe Special Award in 1976), his work draws praise from a larger critical group--the toddler and tricycle set. At this age children want to learn about the new world and to know how it works. Scarry's simplified, labeled drawings offer them a vehicle for understanding it.

Many new parents' bookshelves probably have at least one Scarry selection on them, for he has produced just about every type of book imaginable. Animal stories...