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Even the mean old Troublemaker must stop his annoying neighborhood rounds to help Jenna Green, whose many problems keep her sobbing in her room

PreS-Gr 2 The Troublemaker, responsible for the random distribution of everyone's troubles, ``was a hard man, but he was not made of iron.'' Jenna's troubles finally overwhelm her when the ``Trouble of Freckles'' is added to ``Feeling Different,'' ``All Thumbs,'' and others. Then the Troublemaker takes pity, and allows Jenna to bring her troubles to swap for someone else's. The didactic ending is predictable but light enough to not be overwhelming. Cheerfully malicious, luridly-hued troubles pop out of every page, and both waif-like Jenna and the blue Troublemaker have clear definition of their own. Oram's spare text is perfectly complemented by Ross' emphatic cartoon drawings, and their theme of inadequacies accepted is one that should reach children. A funny, original book that manages to bring an old truth (and a young Jenna) home to rest. Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, Mass. Copyright 1987 Cahners Business Information.