(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy Wummer. Harry and Doug can't wait for field day, especially with a secret prize waiting for the winner. Doug worries when Harry is tricking his way to the top, but other students start cheating as payback. While the characters' cycle of cheating and apologizing becomes repetitive, readers should enjoy the genuine, lighthearted antics, accompanied by pen-and-ink spot illustrations.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy Wummer. Harry's teacher is getting married and--gasp!--Miss Mackle didn't invite the class to the wedding. So Harry and his pals devise a wedding-crashing plan and end up saving the day when the bride's dad gets lost. There are some old-fashioned-feeling details in this story ("you may kiss your bride"), but the Room 3B kids continue to be engaging, realistic chapter-book heroes.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy Wummer. The Room 3B students all enter a poster contest, and when Harry's is dubbed the winner, jealous Mary lashes out (Scissors). It's Harry's fault when a mean substitute banishes Song Lee's origami pig to the June box ("a jail for toys"), but the kids have a plan. Kline's considerable grasp of elementary-age children's feelings is on display in these latest installments. Review covers these titles: Horrible Harry and the June Box and Horrible Harry and the Scarlet Scissors.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy Wummer. The Room 3B students all enter a poster contest, and when Harry's is dubbed the winner, jealous Mary lashes out (Scissors). It's Harry's fault when a mean substitute banishes Song Lee's origami pig to the June box ("a jail for toys"), but the kids have a plan. Kline's considerable grasp of elementary-age children's feelings is on display in these latest installments. Review covers these titles: Horrible Harry and the June Box and Horrible Harry and the Scarlet Scissors.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. This Horrible Harry story centers on the narrator's third-grade-class study of fairy tales. Harry and his group of friends retell the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to reflect Harry's fascination with insects. The classroom scenes are realistic, the characters are engaging, and the writing style is uncomplicated. This series entry will satisfy fans and newcomers alike.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy Wummer. Miss Mackle gets a real mailbox to use in the classroom. She sets up a post office, with jobs for the kids, and her class is thrilled. But after their rainbow bookmarks begin to disappear, Harry and Doug have a new mystery to solve. Peppered with class poems and typical third-grade behavior, here's another mild adventure for Harry fans to enjoy.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. The continuing adventures of Harry and his third-grade classmates focus on events in the school lunchroom. Mrs. Funderburke, one of the cafeteria ladies, designs a special contest, and Harry uses his best detective skills to discover that she is awarding prizes according to the Fibonacci sequence. The fast-paced story successfully recounts the ups and downs of elementary school life.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Sami Sweeten. Kline uses her considerable skill at re-creating the activities and issues in an elementary school classroom to write these prequels about Herbie Jones as a second grader. Both books are shorter and more accessible to young readers than are the other novels in which Herbie is older. Sweeten's black-and-white line illustrations effectively display Herbie's spunky personality. Review covers these titles: Herbie Jones and the Second Grade Slippers and Herbie Jones Sails into Second Grade.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Sami Sweeten. Kline uses her considerable skill at re-creating the activities and issues in an elementary school classroom to write these prequels about Herbie Jones as a second grader. Both books are shorter and more accessible to young readers than are the other novels in which Herbie is older. Sweeten's black-and-white line illustrations effectively display Herbie's spunky personality. Review covers these titles: Herbie Jones and the Second Grade Slippers and Herbie Jones Sails into Second Grade.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. After Sid purposely stomps on Song Lee's origami praying mantis, Harry swears to get revenge. The readable school story ends happily as the children forgive one another and enjoy a birthday party together. Like the other books in the series, this is a cheerful, realistic look at elementary school life. Recipes for "Kitty-Litter Cake" and Lebanese cookies are included.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. When Harry's cat sneaks into school, Harry and Doug chase it through the teachers' lounge and into the boiler room. On their journey, the boys also learn that their beloved teacher is engaged to be married. The plot of this short chapter book will be especially exciting to young readers who themselves dream of peeking into the teachers' lounge.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Doug and Harry solve the mystery of a classroom closet that has been locked for forty-five years. They discover that it holds classic toys and books--fun for indoor recess. This book in the popular series delivers what readers expect--a straightforward plot, likable characters, and easy format.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. The newest book in this popular series has Harry unhappy about the upcoming holiday season until his class visits his great-grandfather in a nursing home to share winter holiday traditions with the residents. The story is more didactic than usual, with a great deal of the text explaining different traditions. Nevertheless, Harry's many fans won't be deterred. Reading list.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Herbie learns that his best friend Raymond has to move to Texas in just a week. There are many realistic and emotionally satisfying details to the school story, but the timeline seems rushed (the family puts their house on the market and completes the sale in a week) and the ending, in which Raymond comes to school on Monday after his parents change their minds, is disappointing.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Harry and his classmates sneak out of the playground at recess to examine some mushrooms, but their muddy footprints on the classroom carpet reveal their transgression. As in the previous simple, readable books about Harry and his third-grade adventures, Kline chooses one childlike concern and develops it into a story. This is standard fare for the series--predictable, lesson-oriented, and approachable.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. While working on a school project, friends Harry and Song Lee disagree about the nature of dragons--Harry insists that they're ferocious and calls Song Lee's drawing of a gentle dragon "stupid." The inner-classroom turmoil that ensues is implausible, but fans of the series may enjoy this small drama. Expressive line drawings pepper the pages.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Miss Mackle's third-grade class finishes off their ancestor studies by taking a boat ride in honor of one class member's relative--a Titanic survivor. Kline captures classroom dynamics well and knows what details--like Dexter's seasickness--young readers love. The newest addition to the reliable series is illustrated with plenty of lively pen-and-ink drawings.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. Strong-minded Molly is jealous of new girl Florence because she's the star of their town's new ice rink. As with all of Kline's elementary school dramas, this one ends happily with friendships repaired and lessons learned. Cartoon-style drawings lighten the text. Character development is slight, but the briskly paced story contains situations young readers will relate to.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Miss Mackle's class finish off their study of the moon by raising the money to buy a used telescope and having a moonwatch. The details of life in third grade ring true--including Harry's ability to imaginatively transport himself and his classmates onto the moon. This is a strong addition to the series, with recognizable characters and an accessible format. Expressive pen-and-ink illustrations accompany the text.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Instead of wearing the scariest costume for Halloween, third-grader Harry dresses up as Sergeant Joe Friday of Dragnet fame. Acting like the deadpan detective, Harry solves a classroom mystery, but the humor will be lost on young readers, who won't be familiar with the 1960s TV character. This isn't one of the stronger books in the series, though the story is easy to read, and the frequent pen-and-ink drawings are humorous.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt