A homemade toy that was not-quite bear and not-quite rabbit, Mostly Frederick Sometimes Sam - Mostly, for short - was the beloved playmate of a little girl named Jane. Then one day Jane left Mostly in the park, and the odd stuffed animal found himself transported to the Lost Playground - an enchanted realm of lost and forgotten toys. Here, with the help of his friend Mouse, Mostly tried to fit in, but found that his homemade nature and hybrid animal status made him an outcast. Deciding to risk it all on the chance to see Jane again, Mostly returned to the park where he'd been abandoned, hoping against hope that he would be reunited with his little girl...

First published in 1963, The Lost Playground was, together with Waddy and His Brother (also first published in 1963), one of author/artist Patricia Coombs' first books. It is rather obscure, and is probably not one I would have sought out, were I not such a lifelong fan of Coombs' twenty-book series about Dorrie the Little Witch, and had I not been curious about her other books. On the whole, I found the story here sweet, and the artwork cute. It's rather text-heavy for a picture-book - it is almost more of an illustrated short story - and is not the equal of the Dorrie books, whether in storytelling or in artwork. That said, I could see it having appeal for readers who enjoy sentimental and somewhat melancholy toy stories, for those who appreciate vintage picture-books, or for those who (like me) are fans of its creator. ( )