(3) K-3 Books That Drive Kids Crazy! series. In another meta offering from the Stantons (This Is a Ball etc.), an unseen narrator tries to convince readers not only that this book is red (it's not), but that its featured cartoonish animals and objects are colors they're not ("Roses are red. So Rose the penguin is red"). The narrator's leaps of (il)logic and defensiveness ("Are you calling me a liar? Ouch") are unremittingly funny.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Middle schooler Max, a frequent target of his brutish teacher's scorn, finds himself running for class president against his nemesis, Abby, and teacher's pet Layla. While campaigning, Max accidentally discovers humor's power to distract his classmates from his nonexistent platform. Though mainly comprised of two-dimensional characters, this slapstick-filled story may appeal to Wimpy Kid fans thanks to its ample black-and-white cartoon illustrations.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) K-3 Books That Drive Kids Crazy! series. In _ook?, an omniscient narrator sneezes, inadvertently jettisoning its favorite letter from the book ("Come _ack!"). In Ball, the narrator makes preposterous statements ("This is a scary monster" faces a simple drawing of a princess, for example) and won't countenance reader objections ("I think you're a bit confused"). This is meta at its best: conceptually and visually straightforward and unabatingly silly. Review covers these titles: Did You Take the B from My _ook? and This Is a Ball.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Books That Drive Kids Crazy! series. In _ook?, an omniscient narrator sneezes, inadvertently jettisoning its favorite letter from the book ("Come _ack!"). In Ball, the narrator makes preposterous statements ("This is a scary monster" faces a simple drawing of a princess, for example) and won't countenance reader objections ("I think you're a bit confused"). This is meta at its best: conceptually and visually straightforward and unabatingly silly. Review covers these titles: Did You Take the B from My _ook? and This Is a Ball.

Reviewer: Nell Beram