Ursula may not have siblings, but she does have spunk. When she's not turning cartwheels in the classroom, she exhibits the creative flair that has distinguished famous only children throughout history. Bertrand's fragmented text--devoid of any plot--reads like a who's who of celebrity ``onlys'' (Einstein, Leonardo, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Lindbergh) whose significance cannot be appreciated by the intended audience. Full of clutter and color, the frenzied crayon drawings set a farcical tone, although again, some of the wit is aimed at adults--Ursula as Marilyn, coyly holding down a skirt being billowed by the street vent; Ursula beside a hugely smiling Mona Lisa-esque portrait. Youngsters will recognize the value in having the ``only house in the neighborhood where they can spread a thousand-piece puzzle on the floor without little brothers and sisters walking all over it.'' But even only children, noting that Ursula doesn't seem all that special, may wonder what the fuss is about. Ages 4-up. (May)
PreS-Gr 2-- Ursula is a thoroughly unlikable child who, along with her cat accomplice Hector, has a major talent for : getting into trouble. She considers herself as smart as Albert Einstein, as glamorous as Marilyn Monroe, and as courageous as Charles Lindbergh--comparisons that will be meaningless to most children. Bertrand's dark and grainy cartoons contribute to the negative aura of the book. The girl's uncontrolled behavior may seem humorous to some youngsters, but most listeners will probably be more confused than amused by the one-joke plot that goes nowhere. --Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN
