CRICO Blanche Lesy Béland. Illustrated by Linda Mason Cressman; Translated by Jacqueline Dion Gosselin. Regina, SK: Centax Books, 1991. 24pp., paper, $4.95. ISBN 1-895292-04-2. CIP. Also available in French, $5.95. Distributed bv Centax Books,1330 Fleury St., Regina, SK. S4N 4W8. Preschool / Ages 3-5 Reviewed by Patricia L.M. Butler. Volume 20 Number 4 1992 September Crico the caterpillar is sad because she thinks all her friends have forgotten her birthday. She spends a sad day thinking of the delicious treat she had planned that will now be missed. At night, though, she dreams that her party is taking place and she is so happy that she "trembles in her sleep." The next day all her friends arrive for the festivities. They were one day Iate because Mr. Silkworm needed time to complete the gift - a beautiful multi-coloured umbrella in which Crico will "begin the longest night of her life." One day, she will awaken and "bring wonder and joy to everyone around her." The story is told in fairly simple but florid language, reminiscent of children's stories of the 1940s and 1950s. Mr. Owl and Mr. Silkworm are part of Crico's harmonious woodland folk, lending to the general aura of a kind, gentle, peaceful world. While these descriptions may capture the interest of a younger listener, the strength of the story and its telling is not sufficient to hold an older child. The large print may increase the book's interest for the beginning reader. Patricia L.M. Butler is a former teacher - librarian in West Vancouver, British Columbia.