(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. After a fiasco on their last field trip, Mrs. Hartwell takes her students to the zoo armed with her list of field-trip tips ("Foolproof Field-Trip Tip #3: Be prepared for delays. Food works"). The humorous story is accompanied by Love's caricature-like illustrations, created using ink and transparent dyes, capturing the preparation, bus ride, and students working on their observation sheets.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. Prickly hates that her sister towers over her (literally: Sitka is ten feet tall). Prickly wreaks havoc trying to keep up with Sitka's adventures across Alaska, although that havoc produces several of the state's now-iconic sights. Somewhat rocky rhymes tell the story, which doubles as a tour of Alaska's major attractions. The antic illustrations have an old-timey Norman Rockwell look.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. Grambling and Love pair up another extinct animal with an unlikely place. While the concept is getting tired, there is still some humor to be found as this little boy and his pet cavort through well-known NYC sites--including the Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Center, and the Central Park Zoo--alongside a harried mayor. The illustrations are full of amusing details and ethnic diversity.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. A boy proposes bringing his woolly mammoth to the library, where the animal might cause some trouble but might also prove to be helpful. Accompanied by busy, detailed art, the silly but purposeful story introduces children to library terms such as literacy services and to be shelved carts.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. It gradually dawns on teacher Mrs. Hartwell that her test-preparation drills are freaking out the students, making her (not them) the one who ultimately learns a lesson. The text strains for a child's voice ("Double, triple, quadruple yuck"), the art for humor--but the story line shows that both author and illustrator respect kids. Maybe test-obsessed educators will take the hint.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. Twenty-three poems parody classic British and American verse by William Blake, John Masefield, Emily Dickinson, and others. The parodies are clever, although some will be better appreciated by readers familiar with the source material (not included); the book may be best used as a resource in writing classes, with the originals close by. Amusing black-and-white illustrations accompany each poem.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. This book consists of students' letters to Mrs. Hartwell, the new teacher introduced in First Day Jitters, who has set up an in-class "post office." Letter writers include Eddie, who apologizes for throwing up on her, and Andy, who claims not to know how the class snake got loose. The non-cumulative letters may tire some readers, but many will derive humor from the unflinchingly illustrated disasters.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. Modern witch Bella longs to be a princess (she finds the clothes and the lifestyle appealing). She's confident that because she likes her unconventional looks, she will find and marry a prince who likes them, too. And she does--one who looks like Frankenstein's monster. The humorous story is told in a fresh, engaging voice; the equally humorous art is full of expression and movement.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judy Love. In spite of Mr. Hartwell's entreaties, Sarah Jane Hartwell does not want to start her first day in a new school. Like all newcomers, she worries about having to begin again and wonders if there will be nice children in her class. But the ending reveals that Sarah is not a new student--she's the teacher! Lively line and watercolor illustrations bring Sarah's plight to life.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 When Kirby Kelvin gets the giggles during a spelling test, stern Ms. Frost sends him to Mr. Gloomsmith for "Not-Laughing Lessons." Images of rusty bicycles and forgotten birthdays are supposed to subdue Kirby's good humor, but irrepressible Kirby puts an end to Mr. Gloomsmith's twenty-nine-year not-laughing streak. Animated caricatures and skewed perspectives help enliven the predictable story.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.