(4) 1-3 Super Fly series. Tired of feeling ignored, Super Fly's devoted sidekick, Fantastic Flea, decides to team up with their nemesis, Crazy Cockroach in the series' third entry (Flea). Next, Crazy Cockroach brainwashes an army of insects in hopes of defeating Super Fly for good (Army). There is a measured tedium to these accessible good-versus-evil chapter books with amusing cartoony spot art of the bug-eyed heroes. Review covers these Super Fly titles: Rise of the Evil Army! and Super Fly vs. Furious Flea!

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) 1-3 Eugene "Super Fly" Flystein's nemesis, Crazy Cockroach, returns with dung beetle henchmen to help him take over the world by brainwashing the insects of Brown Barge Elementary. Just when all seems lost, enter Fly Girl (who suspiciously resembles Eugene's younger sister). A slight but amusing second book, again with a superheroes-and-scatological-humor combination aimed squarely at the Captain Underpants crowd.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) PS During school career day, a dinosaur introduces itself to the class as "Super Rawr, the superhero!" The dino does all sorts of good deeds, from rescuing kittens to slurping up water from a broken hydrant. Not much actually happens in the story, but the bright, colorful illustrations and a likable main character should keep preschoolers engaged.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(3) K-3 Underdog Rod (a dog) longs to defeat Shelly Turtle, the perennial winner of the Pickleberry Grand Prix. Unfortunately, his oddball hot rod designs just don't work. He perseveres, however, and with his modified lawnmower he heroically rescues Shelly from a near-crash and wins the trophy for them both. The cartoon illustrations, featuring quirky animal-driven hot rods, are a good match for the jokey wordplay.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 1-3 Super Fly series. Tired of feeling ignored, Super Fly's devoted sidekick, Fantastic Flea, decides to team up with their nemesis, Crazy Cockroach in the series' third entry (Flea). Next, Crazy Cockroach brainwashes an army of insects in hopes of defeating Super Fly for good (Army). There is a measured tedium to these accessible good-versus-evil chapter books with amusing cartoony spot art of the bug-eyed heroes. Review covers these Super Fly titles: Rise of the Evil Army! and Super Fly vs. Furious Flea!

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) PS Farmer John's vegetables stare dumbfounded at the unusual clothing hanging to dry above their patch. When Carrot explains the concept of underwear, the veggies desperately want in, which sets up the easily anticipated and one-note joke: "The veggies all had...wedgies!" Children new to underwear may connect with the amusing googly-eyed, tighty-whitey-wearing cartoons and join in singing their song ("Oh, underwear is so fine...").

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) PS How many guests does Mr. Potato Head invite to his party? "One potato in the house. / Then two, three, four..." They keep coming until twenty irate potatoes are crammed into his house. The wry solution doesn't make sense--mashing potatoes wouldn't decrease their mass--but no matter. The spuds are hilarious, resembling Mr. Potato Head toys with dimmer expressions.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS "Being a dinosaur is hard": you're really big and people think you're scary. According to the sympathetic dinosaur narrator of this book, though, "they are wrong." Dinos can be helpful, being big can sometimes come in handy, and "rawr" actually means hello (and goodbye) in dinosaur. Endearing, friendly cartoonlike illustrations will delight preschoolers. The inviting cover features a tactile plush dino.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) PS The author pairs each letter with a rhyme about an animal (except X, which is paired with cookies: "I couldn't find an animal for X, / so instead I grabbed a quick snack"). He scores major points for quirkiness but is less successful with rhythm. Each spread features a simply composed rendering of its wide-eyed subject against a monochromatic background.

Reviewer: Nell Beram