(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Tony Ross. Walliams channels Roald Dahl's irreverent, authority-bashing humor in this energetic fantasy in which rebellious children escape their London hospital ward to act out their wildest dreams. Ross's line drawings and the use of varied fonts enliven the proceedings. Verisimilitude is hardly the point here, nor is depth of characterization: the silliness is its own raison d'être.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Tony Ross. Walliams blends a Roald Dahl–ian anti-authoritarian mindset and wild imagination in this zany tale of a boy and his confused grandfather bucking the system. Grandpa, who thinks he's a WWII Wing Commander still living in 1940, enlists Jack's aid in stealing a Spitfire to escape the old-age home. An entertaining romp, with black-and-white illustrations aptly reminiscent of Quentin Blake's. Glos.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Quentin Blake. 'Tis the season of Christmas and British parliamentary elections when twelve-year-old Chloe Crumb meets homeless Mr. Stink. Their friendship yields life lessons for Chloe and her family, especially politico wannabe Mrs. Crumb, or "Croooome" as she, the queen of keeping up appearances, pronounces it. Walliams's comedy of manners is full of laugh-out-loud moments, many brought to life in Blake's lively, loose-handed sketches.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Quentin Blake. Dennis's life morphs from dreary to exhilarating after donning a sequined dress at new friend Lisa's urging. As "Denise" he relishes "the giggles, the glitter, the glamorous make-up" that girls experience. But his cross-dressing--depicted with gentle humor in Blake's loose-handed art--leads to expulsion from school and the soccer team. Readers will cheer for Walliams's sympathetic hero and won't mind the too-perfect ending.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger