That behatted and bow-tied cat from Dr. Seuss's The Cat in theHat is back, and, not surprisingly, is up to all sorts of mischief.This time, Sally and her brother are stuck shoveling snow: "Thiswas no time for play./ This was no time for fun./ This was no timefor games./ There was work to be done." But--you guessed it--thelaughing Hat Cat has other ideas, as he lets himself in to eat cakein their tub. He leaves behind "a big long pink cat ring," which hethen handily cleans with "MOTHER'S WHITE DRESS!" The dress thenloses its pink stain to the wall, then Dad's shoes, then the rug inthe hall, until finally the Cat must call in some assistance: frominside his hat comes Little Cat A, then Littler Cats B, C, D, E,and so on, nested like dolls in ever tinier hats. With this pack offelines, Sally and her brother may get rid of those stains, butthey'll likely never be rid of that rascally cat. As should beexpected from the good doctor, The Cat in the Hat Comes Backprovides an excellent reader (and alphabet primer) for those justlearning, not to mention ample laughs for everyone else. (Ages 4 to8)