Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve, Sarah McIntyre (Illustrator)

It's a bird... It's a plane... It's a seawig! A newfangled superhero you don't want to miss. Ten-year-old Oliver Crisp's parents ironically go missing the day they stop exploring and move into the old family home. Oliver is unpacking the car when his parents spy a bunch of islands in the bay. Jumping into a dinghy, they disappear along with the islands by the time Oliver sets out to rescue them. He sails out to a lone island and meets an albatross named, "Culpeper," who explains that the islands move. Oliver snags a ride and meets a far-sighted mermaid, Iris, who is different from the average mer-person. She's smart, can't see a lick, can't sing, could care less about looks, and is kind. She explains that the only time she "caterwauled" like other mermaids she lured a walrus instead of a handsome fisherman because she thought it a man. She bumps into everything and the reader never knows what silly mishap she's going to have. She meets Oliver because she was on her way to the optician but got lost. Har, har. The gags are nonstop with adult and kid humor. When the island turns into a talking rock-giant... I was hooked... line and sinker. Plenty of action, humor, and odd characters for all.

The rock-giant character reminds me of trolls. We used to look for troll heads on the rocky bluffs by the Mississippi River as kids. My grandma said trolls slept as rocks. We told troll stories to scare each other. Trolls lived under bridges and could be ferocious or dumb. I even had a creepy troll doll with pink hair. A seawig is like a troll and can be kind or mean. A seawig is a floating island with the grassy top being its hair and its nose and eyes on the rocks underwater. Seawigs talk, but not often. When Oliver hears his parents are headed for the Hallowed Shallows where a wig competition called, "The Night of the Seawigs," is held every seven years, he's determined to get there. He must talk the seawig that they are on into entering the competition. Oliver gives the seawig a name, Cliff, and concocts a plan with Iris to get Cliff the best wig for the contest.

The characters are distinct and memorable. Mr. Culpeper is an overbearing curmudgeonly albatross that can be a pain in the neck, but also a friend to count on. He blames Oliver when things go wrong, verbally opposes risk-taking adventures, is a know-it-all, but he supports their rescue and helps navigate through threatening fog. The sea monkeys are mischievous, not-so-bright creatures that are fast, "Sea monkeys spilled down Thurlstone's face like a river of snot." Nothing like a splattering of snot humor to draw in the young readers. Seawig Thurlstone is a villain that turned wicked when human sacrifices were made on the temple at its top and the blood trickled down inside him.

Stacey de Lacey is Thurlstone's partner and the two will cheat, lie, and steal to win the contest. The two villains have captured Oliver's parents and are going to sacrifice them for the contest. All you readers traumatized by having a tease-me-till-I-scream name will nod in understanding or shake your head at Stacey de Lacey's inferiority complex as he explains turning to evil after kids teased him about his girlie name. When he frees the sea monkeys from their pods therefore getting their zealous loyalty, the narrator says, "If Stacey de Lacey had been a different sort of boy, he might have thought, 'I've found a friend!' But Stacey had never really wanted friends. He thought, 'I've found a servant!'"Swirl into the current some Sarcastic Seaweed and you'll be snort-laughing snot down your own face. Dive right in. 

The winner of the contest gets to be Chief Island and tell the other Rambling Isles, as they are nicknamed, where to travel. They can take the best flotsam to add to their wig too. When a seawig stops meandering, he or she settles in a certain place. This is more like dying. Oliver describes settled islands as "lifeless." When Cliff decides to "settle" because Thurlstone stole his wig, Oliver and Iris are desperate to get him to change his mind and not give up. Sometimes I feel like my life overseas is like being a seawig or Rambling Isle. I'm like Oliver's parents who are addicted to exploring. Some day, we too, will have to settle and stop traveling. Ummm... that doesn't mean I want to "settle" and die. Just so we are clear.

The author cleverly adds child-appealing touches such as having a resolution that involves tickling or a villain turned bad from name-calling. Add in shipwrecks, seawigs that look like grass-covered Easter Island statues, hyperactive monkeys, crotchety seaweed, and a mermaid that can shatter glass with her singing and you have a great rumpus. Sarah McIntyre's black, white, and blue illustrations add so much humor to the story. The big eyes on the children make them look curious, while on the parents overexcited or scared. The seawigs are my favorite. Cliff looks like a baby Pacman and Thurlstone looks like a petrified globmonster.

Add in themes of friendship and perseverance and you've got some depth to the plot. When Cliff decides to rescue Oliver, he does so out of friendship and doing the right thing. He chooses to not be a victim, but try and make a change whether it works or not. When Cliff's being threatened, Oliver in turn saves him. That's what friends are for. Friends are also good to go swimming with in the ocean. Grab your flippers and goggles and flip into the pages of this book with its unusual superhero. Glub, glub, glub.

4 Smileys

The Case of the Stinky Socks (Milo & Jazz Mysteries #1) by Lewis B. Montgomery, Amy Wummer (Illustrator)

I'm fishing for transitional readers that don't put me in a slack-jawed Friday night daze. Not easy. This type of book is designed to have a simple vocabulary and plot, but frankly, choices are slim. I find many of the series boring and flat. Harpoon me an interesting character, a bit 'o humor, and some depth and I'm a happy gal. Milo & Jazz succeeds in these areas and I was pleasantly surprised by a good story.

Milo gets a spy kit at home and proceeds to try and figure it out in a klutzy way that is funny. He pokes fun at himself and then tries to spy on his family and a neighbor girl, named Jazz, that goes to his school. It's hard to be sneaky when you are clumsy. She outs him pretty fast and asks if he is playing spy or detective? Milo responds that he has a spy agency and she quickly comes up with an advertisement that includes herself in the agency slogan even though Milo never said she could join him. When Milo starts to protest, they hear Jazz's brother, Dylan, screaming and discover their first case that involves a pair of missing lucky socks. Jazz is a take charge person and comes up with a plan, but Milo doesn't want to hear any of it. This is his spy kit and his idea. Jazz is a bit too pushy and tells him she wants to be his partner and that he needs her brains. When she insults Milo by implying he is dumb, he is convinced that he really doesn't want an overbearing partner that tells him what to do.  He wisely runs away from her.

Dylan is on a winning streak as pitcher for the Westview Wildcats baseball team. When he tells a local TV crew the reason for the wins is his lucky socks, they get stolen from his locker. The funny illustrations of reporters and opposing team members plugging their noses as Dylan shows off his smelly socks had me laughing. But more humorous is the poke at the superstitious athletes (particularly pitchers in baseball) that resort to superstitions to prolong winning streaks. I remember being grossed out by the Twin's pitcher that didn't wash his shirt when he was pitching well. And don't think this only happens in the United States. I was at a baseball game in Taiwan where a man led the crowd in cheers having us shout and stand. When a batter got a hit he would tell us we brought the team luck by standing up and we needed to stay standing. All in good fun, but some superstitious folks believe it. At work if someone wins a door prize the women from Taiwan will touch her for good luck.  When you read aloud books over and over with kids I appreciate a story like this one that tosses in some adult humor.

When Milo tries to solve the mystery he makes mistakes and keeps adjusting to improve his skills; whereas, Jazz is smarter and more logical than Milo, but talks condescendingly to Milo making her unlikable. They struggle to become friends at first because they don't know how to work together and talk to each other. Milo makes quite a few missteps as he learns how to solve mysteries. This quality makes him very real and kids (and adults) will root for him as he perseveres with figuring out clues. When Milo pursues clues in the locker room and comes across the older boy, Chip, that's a tennis player putting mousse in his hair, readers will laugh at the play on words and self-centeredness of Chip.

Ethan, Milo's younger brother is annoying and funny. He pretends he's a dinosaur and is even more impulsive than Milo. When he bites the Wildcat mascot, Milo is the protective older brother and it is easy to see similarities in their crazy actions. When an older boy that is the school mascot chases after Ethan for biting him, he is not only mad at Milo's brother, but he's disappointed that his job of mascot has not let him meet cheerleaders. This addresses the mascots motivation for chasing Ethan rather than giving up after a bit. The mascot boy, Willie, is not only angry with Ethan, he's angry that his sole reason for being a mascot has not produced the results he wanted which was to meet girls. The mascot also leaves the first good clue to what might have happened to Dylan's socks.

Jazz comes back into the picture as she's been clue searching without Milo. She compliments him on his plan not realizing that he was hiding versus carrying out an actual plan. He doesn't tell her and thinks maybe she wouldn't be a bad partner. Whether she is conscious of her actions or not, she is more effective complimenting Milo than insulting him. It shows how to make friends and work as a team.  As the two ferret out clues, it becomes clear that Chip is a big jock at the school with an even bigger ego. Chip seems a bit cartoonish in his stereotype of a narcissistic tennis player at the diner, but it still is funny. And you've gotta love Jazz. When Milo insults her purple notebook she has a nice comeback. These two are an unlikely pair but their love of adventures and mysteries seems enough to help them become friends.  They have some rough patches but they keep learning how to work together and Milo is able to solve the mystery.

The mystery misleads the reader as to the culprit. There are enough clues to figure out the true villain, but it would take a detailed reader to figure it out. My adult brain thought that at one point I would have just bought a pair of identical socks and tossed them in the dumpster and told Dylan I'd found his socks. I know, what a spoil-sport. The lesson of believing in yourself and not substituting luck for mental toughness is worthwhile along with other themes that layer this short book: teamwork versus self-centeredness, friendship versus hurtful words, being annoyed with siblings versus protecting them, and so on. It is also  nice that Jazz is from a different ethnic background. Like I said, if I can find a transitional reader with some nice depth and character development, I am hooked. Thanks for the heads up on this series Verna!

5 Smileys

Busybody Nora by Johanna Hurwitz

Interesting transitional books can be tough to find. These short books oftentimes lack character development and interesting plots because they are structured for children that are still decoding words. They tend to have characteristics such as short word meanings, simple vocabulary, and declarative sentences. It takes a special writer that can engage adults as well as children readers at under a hundred pages. Of course, young readers are not as picky or get as bored as adults with children's' books. Many a times I might dislike a book that a child loves - such is just the nature of children's literature. Adults read 'em and write 'em, but the kiddos have to love 'em. And lets face it, what an adult likes is going to be different than a child. This book is going to appeal to both the adult and child. It would make a good read aloud that captures the home-life of  the good-natured six-year-old Nora living in a New York apartment with her younger three-year-old brother, Teddy. Adults will smile at Nora's naivety, while kids will love the bed-bouncing threesome of Nora, Teddy, and their two-year-old neighbor, Russell. A timeless book that is good for grades 2-3.

Nora decides that she wants to learn everyone's name in their apartment building. When she asks a crabby neighbor the woman responds sarcastically, "Mrs. Mind-Your-Own-Business." Nora is confused by the weird name. While the adult meant it as a putdown thinking Nora being too nosy, Nora fortunately does not get it and continues to ask everyone their name. She is the outgoing kid that wants to be like the doorman and know everyone's name in the building. She has no clue that some people like the crabby neighbor think it is impolite to ask and obviously does not like children.

Nora spends the next chapters in various domestic settings with her family from cooking to babysitting before she brainstorms a building party for a neighbor that she loves. Nora's heart is big and she's not afraid to show how much she likes her neighbors whether it is memorizing their names or having a party. My favorite chapters were when Teddy, Nora, and their mother make Stone Soup based on the book. I used to act out so many books and it was wonderful to see the mom jump into the foray and encourage her children's ideas. Dad gets in on the action too with a chapter where Nora and Teddy are making him a birthday present. Teddy is struggling to come up with an idea and his mom suggests building something for his dad from his blocks. Teddy doesn't like this idea because it is not a permanent gift but the mom explains that "Birthdays are happy memories." When the dad comes home and accidentally knocks over Teddy's creation before he can show him, Teddy goes into hysterics. The dad knowingly sits down with Teddy to rebuild it with him and the end result is a happy Teddy spending time with dad and a building grander than the original. The author puts in many authentic moments like this that makes the reader relate with the family.

Another fun chapter is when grandpa is visiting for dinner and becomes the storyteller telling a classic fairy tale but inserting himself into the story. Teddy is particularly enthralled with the story and Nora is engaged too. Both believe their grandpa and it is a wonderful example of adults encouraging children to use their imaginations and believe in the magical. If you are looking for books for the child that is on the cusp of reading chapter books, then I recommend this one with a pinch of pixie dust.

4 Smileys
Fountas & Pinnell N

Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment by David A. Adler

Fourth grader, Danny is a good sport who agrees to be the subject of new kid Calvin Waffle's experiment, even though Calvin doesn't explain anything except that Danny has to carry a bunch of jellybeans around that he can't eat. Danny spills them and sends them through the wash at home but spends the week more or less carrying out the experiment unknowingly to humor Calvin. Calvin is quite odd compared to other kids dressing with pants that have one leg shorter than the other or wearing mismatched socks that represent how he feels about things. When Calvin shows Danny that he has a great eye for detail, he helps Danny's team win an important baseball game. This short 100 page book is going to appeal to readers that want humor balanced with some character depth.

The jellybean experiment is about making friends. Calvin is new in school and while he isn't trying to "fit in" per se, he is trying to make friends. His creative and wacky use of jellybeans is funny and inventive. When he tells Danny about his dad being a spy, Danny learns inadvertently from Calvin's mom that their dad abandoned the family and works as a truck driver. It seems that Calvin is in denial over his dad's actions. Calvin does not appear to be covering for his dad when he tells Danny he is a spy, he truly believes his dad is a spy that purposefully tells others he is a truck driver to cover up his covert activities. This isn't resolved in this book. Perhaps in book two the parents will divorce forcing Calvin to face the situation.

Danny's character is not sure about Calvin, but he is interested in him because he's different. Danny seems to be deciding throughout the story whether or not he wants to be Calvin's friend. Calvin likes to poke fun at their crabby teacher and get away with breaking rules that appeals to Danny at times and scares him at other times. Calvin tries a bit too hard to be the class clown using shenanigans as a way to make friends. At first I wasn't sure if Calvin was rebellious, but he pulls back when it matters to peers such as during the report presentation. There is a subtle message about tolerance and accepting others for who they are inside and not going by appearances.

The title of the book is a bit misleading and the illustrations don't add to the text. Danny doodles because he wants to be a cartoonist. I kept waiting for more to happen with this. In Marissa Moss's Max series the two boys come up with a comic strip that has erasers that are aliens that come to earth. Nothing like that happens with the doodles and they are not worked into the plot. While I enjoyed this story and the writing is good with fun wordplays, what stands out the most for me is that it is nice and short for the student who does not love to read.

3 Smilesy

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

A second grade teacher was asking for book recommendations that she could read out loud with her first grade son. I can't wait to put this one in her hands. It enters an age range of books that is oh-so-hard to find in elementary libraries. Picture books. Check. Early readers. Check. Transitional readers. Ummm... half a check. And boy protagonists? A fourth a check. "The Stories Julian Tells" comes to mind, along with "The No. 1 Car Spotter," and the Roscoe Riley series, but honest-to-Pete there are not a ton of choices. I usually feel relieved when the child moves on to the next level in reading fluency because I know I'm running low on recommendations. This must be a difficult age range to write for as an adult, especially creating an authentic character. The author needs to capture the emotional development of a child who is just beginning to recognize his or her individuality and attempt to learn self-control while adapting to other adult ideas of behavior. Henkes not only encapsulates Billy's 7-8 year-old age range, but he shows Billy's three-year-old sister as dealing with parent separation anxiety, tantrums, and sibling issues. I highly recommend this well-written book.

Billy is worried about going to second grade especially when he overhears his mom express her concern over a fall he took that gave him a concussion. When school starts he has problems dealing with his classmate, Emma. As their confrontation escalates he makes an inappropriate gesture at the teacher and tries to fix it by being kind. He's learning what it means to behave toward others and how he fits in the classroom community as an individual. At home Billy realizes that his father isn't happy and knows it has to do with being an artist but doesn't really understand why until he makes a diorama for a class project. Unhappy with his project, he realizes that his dad feels the same way about his artwork. He doesn't express it this way but tells his dad what a great artist he is and asks him to make some dioramas because he liked them. One difficulty in creating a young protagonist is that they can't sound like an adult and Henkes does a terrific job showing Billy's growth that reflects his immature age.

Kids are trying to gain confidence at this age and the adults in the story nurture and help Billy in his growth of understanding himself as a person. As he thinks about growing up and being older he decides that he will no longer call his dad, "papa," and mom, "mama," because of peers teasing him and wanting to sound older. His sister annoys him much of the time and he likes to act superior to her, but when she tries to stay up all night with him, he decides she is not so bad. He even recognizes that she needs his pearl because she believes it is magic. He knows that it isn't magic and that he doesn't need it like she does, although when he has to go speak in front of a microphone he borrows it for confidence. He also likes to say "mama" and "papa" once in a while. This back-and-forth between acting older and younger makes for an authentic protagonist.

Two items stood out for me and please think of them as observations rather than criticisms. If I had a book club, I'd discuss my first question with them. Or I'd bring it up to get their experiences. They might look at me cross-eyed or agree. Who knows? I thought Billy's sister would have a tantrum when Billy asked for the pearl back and that their mom would have to interfere because of a fight but that doesn't happen. His sister just gives it back because she knows it is Billy's toy. Most three-year-olds I've dealt with have no clue how to share and express emotions physically. Billy's sister doesn't seem to represent the norm that I've dealt with, but I have not spent a lot of time around three-year-olds as of late. It doesn't take away from the story, I'm just curious if anyone else had similar thoughts. The other question I had concerned the poetry unit Billy was doing in grade 2 where the teacher was doing free verse, Limericks, and Haiku. My experience is that this unit is too advanced for that age in general. I know in first grade students only learn to read poetry, not write it. Second grade would just be learning to write it and the unit would be simpler. When Billy wrote his poem it was age appropriate and beautiful in its simplicity so in all fairness even if I'm right the unit is just a minor thing that makes no difference in the end.

The writing is beautiful and Henkes creates a mood and imaginative world that comes to life. He shows how young kids worry about things quite different than adults through the eyes of Billy. When we meet the dolls called, "The Drop Sisters," that Billy's sister has to have seats for at a restaurant, we are reminded of the imaginative play of toddlers that is so real to them. In the chapter where Billy invents a dragon called, "Coughdrop," that coughs when answering "The Drop Sisters" it is brilliant. Billy starts out the chapter annoyed with his sister who is having a tantrum and ends with a fun imaginative playdate late in the evening in his sister's bedroom.  Billy feels comforted by his sister's presence considering there is a monster under his bed. A gorgeous book.

5 Smileys

Ottoline Goes to School (Ottoline #2) by Chris Riddell

This book has 170 pages but took me 30 minutes to read because about half of it is filled with gorgeous illustrations. Good for grades 2-4, the story is about Ottoline Brown whose rich parents gallivant across continents as Collectors. We don't know what they are collecting but they correspond with Ottoline through letters while servants take care of her and she spends time with her best friend, Munroe, a hairy creature that looks like a cross between "The Lorax" and "Cousin It." When Ottoline meets Cecily Forbes-Lawrence III she is starstruck by her tea-sipping skills and pony, Mumbles. The two become friends and Ottoline enrolls in the same boarding school as Cecily. When the place seems haunted, Ottoline uses some investigative skills to find out just what is happening. 

The story is a bit predictable and Ottoline doesn't have any internal changes so she is kind of boring, but I really liked the pictures and Munroe who learns to deal with being replaced by Cecily. It can be hard for some students to make friends and this deals with what it feels like to be left out when a new person enters an existing friendship. Munroe is not treated nicely by Cecily. She calls him a dog and treats him as a second-class citizen. Ottoline is just sweet to everyone and understands that Cecily is lonely and sad because her parents don't give her the time of day. I thought the ending was wrapped up too quickly and the implied perpetrator of the "curses" not explained well enough for young readers. I do think students will like the story and it will be interesting having some discussions regarding the plot and what they understand. A good addition to your library and nice book for transitional readers such as "The Stories Julian Tells."

3 Smileys

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

I just had a conversation with a colleague about grandmother names. She told me I had to think about it now that I'm going to be one. Anna Hibiscus, the protagonist, nicknamed hers, "Granny Canada." I love it. I thought of "Granny Taipei" but that sounds like "Granny Type A" which is plain ole' weird. I'm open to suggestions. "Granny Dumpling?" "Granny Foo-Foo?" "Granny Ding-Dong?" Word choice doesn't seem to be my strong suit tonight - fightin' a cold. Ah well. Anna comes from a multicultural family with a mother who is Canadian and father who is African. Africa is Anna's home with so many extended family members she can't even count them. In a series of episodes, Anna learns some lessons in growing up and having parents from two different cultures. It is hard to find books for third world kids and its especially hard to find excellent transitional readers. You get both of that in this winner of a book.

Anna has twin baby brothers called, Double and Trouble who are oodles of work for her mom and dad, especially when they are "Awake and Angry." When Anna's parents decide to go on a vacation to the beach just by themselves, her mom is looking forward to some time alone. She grew up as an only child in Canada and finds the life on a family compound a bit overwhelming. When the babies wear everyone out, Anna's dad starts to bring his family members out to the beach house for extra hands and help. Anna's mom seems to have had a change of heart regarding being only with her family and welcomes the relatives with open arms. In the next episode the family worries about Auntie Comfort who is coming to visit from America. Will she have forgotten all their customs and traditions? Will she wear "tight-tight" jeans? The next chapter shows Anna learning about class structure and how poor those are around her family compound. In the last episodic chapter, she gets a letter from Granny Canada inviting her to visit. Anna writes back and asks if she can visit during the winter because "Snow you are so sweet-o."

Atinuke is a professional storyteller which makes her books great as read alouds given the terrific sentence rhythm and word choice. Her made-up snow song in the last chapter is precious. I would love to hear her speak. This type of writing is like poetry where it is always special to hear the author's own voice in the character of his or her creation. Anna is likable and means well even though she might not make the best choices or not realize the consequences.  The illustrations capture a young cheerful girl who has a life full of loving adults and relatives. My favorite page is Anna waiting for her letter to go and come back from Granny Canada. She has her fingers crossed as she watches a gecko and insects. She has her fingers crossed when her aunt braids her hair in corn rows and pony tails. My fingers are crossed that the students will like this book as well as I did.

Reading Level 3.6

4 Smileys

Captain Awesome to the Rescue! by Stan Kirby, George O'Connor

In the same vein as Roscoe Riley and Junie B. Jones, this book has a superhero theme that will appeal to the grade 2-3 crowd. The main strength of the story comes from eight-year-old Eugene McGillicudy's imagination as he deals with his fears of starting at a new school by embracing his fearless alter ego, Captain Awesome. When Eugene is given responsibility to take the class pet home, his classmate, Meredith, becomes jealous causing him trouble. Fortunately, Captain Awesome knows how to deal with villains in a bold way.

Students love comics and will relate to Eugene's infatuation with his superhero, Super Dude. When Eugene meets another boy, Charlie, who is just as crazy about Super Dude as him, they become instant friends and form a superhero club. Those who love Captain Underpants might take a liking to this tale as Eugene labels the villains in his life such as his baby sister, Queen Stinkypants, and Meredith, Miss Stinky Pinky. Teachers can use it as a lesson in name-calling and kindness, but most grade 2 students know the difference between being kind and mean. This might be a bit off topic, but I have yet to read a book where a teacher immediately punishes a kid for name-calling. Most teachers I work with in the lower grades have zero tolerance for name-calling in the classroom. Kids lose minutes on recess if they make that choice. Teachers can't build solid classroom communities if name-calling is allowed and yet I can't tell you how many books I read where kids are allowed to call other kids names. Kind of interesting.

When Eugene adopts his Captain Awesome persona it helps him deal with his emotions such as annoyance, belonging, and fear. His baby sister is his "archenemy ...Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby!" and he wails at the thought of her drooling or wrecking his action figure toys. To protect his toys he dons his cape and mask to chase her away.  When Ms. Beasley asks him to say something in front of the class he becomes scared and thinks of her as a new villain named, "Miss Beastly." He feels bad when the students laugh at him and isn't able to talk in front of the class until he puts on his Captain Awesome costume. (Remember that trick next time you have to speak in public.) Again, I'm thinking at our school a teacher would have her morning meeting and students would greet each other and meet new kids in a structured way to build classroom community. Kids have a choice as to whether or not they want to talk. Sometimes it's hard to read books as an educator especially when teachers are presented as insensitive and in ways that don't reflect all the scaffolding that goes on in primary grades. 

For the most part, Eugene sounds young but there were times he sounded too mature for an eight-year-old. I think one of the hardest things with transitional readers is to get the right voice. An adult trying to capture a child's voice doesn't always come off and there can be didactic parts that stand out. When Charlie and Eugene talk about the meatloaf lunch they sound too old. I could see them attack it as superheroes and make a game out of playing with their food. At one point I thought the author might write more like the Junie B. Jones using grammar that little kids use such as when Eugene describes something as the "worstest, awfulest truth", but this doesn't happen throughout the book. So if you are an adult who can't stand reading Junie B. Jones out loud because of the incorrect grammar, don't worry, this only had a smidgeon of that on the pages. Eugene does use slang like "toldja" and dialogue that sounds like a kiddo. Remember, that I'm coming at this book from an adult perspective and biased educator. There aren't many choices of books for young readers and this one is going to "speak" to most youngins'. This is a good addition to any library.

3 Smileys