(4) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. Cam and her best friend Eric are at the airport with Cam's dad to pick up his childhood friend, Spaghetti Max. Meanwhile, they also look for a lost little girl. Can Cam's photographic memory help find the girl and Spaghetti Max in the bustling airport? The standard mystery, illustrated with black-and-white drawings, fits in with the rest of the long-running series.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. At a fundraiser for a new firehouse, a guest nabs the hostess's pearl necklace during an elevator ride. Per usual, girl detective Cam Jansen draws on her photographic memory and quick thinking to find the thief. Not-so-usual is the book's interesting back story about Cam's memory skills as a toddler. Black-and-white illustrations show Cam on the case, sporting a cute plastic fire hat.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) PS Illustrated by Joy Allen. Zoran is unhappy when his mom has to travel for work. "No New York!" he pouts, until Mommy has an idea: find something special of Zoran's that she can pack in her suitcase. The story, though parent-centered, may be comforting to kids with working parents (like this book's author, Iron Chef Cat Cora). Toy-strewn gouache and pencil illustrations add cheer.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson

(3) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. Even non-Cam-fans may be lured by the delectable-looking wedding cake on the cover of this volume. Meanwhile, her many followers will be happy to go along while Cam collects clues and solves the case of the missing sweet using her--"click"--photographic memory. Energetic dialogue and clear black-and-white drawings will engage readers as the caper unfolds.

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Joy Allen. Eight-and-a-half-year-old Abigail Iris gets a new kitten. Unfortunately, her sister is allergic to Spot, and Abigail Iris must find him a new place to live. The problem's perfect solution lies in her own blended family: Spot finds a home with Abigail Iris's stepbrother's mother, and she can visit whenever she wants. Cheery black-and-white illustrations help break up the text.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Joy Allen. Cam Jansen, the girl with the photographic memory, returns in this collection of three full-length mysteries. While her fifth-grade class celebrates Sports and Good Nutrition Day, Cam nabs a bakery thief, locates a missing soccer ball, and identifies two teenage robbers. Class comedian Danny's groan-inducing jokes help offset the preachy exercise-and-eat-healthy-food message. Lively black-and-white drawings illustrate the stories.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Joy Allen. Third grader Abigail Iris, who comes from a large, budget-conscious family, is jealous of her friends who have no siblings. When she's invited to go on vacation with one of them, she hopes to experience all the delights of being an "only." Unsurprisingly, she discovers that being one of many isn't so bad. Lively black-and-white illustrations display Abigail Iris's spirited nature.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(4) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. On Green Day, a thief substitutes bricks for the many rolls of nickels that Cam and her schoolmates raised by recycling cans and bottles. With her trademark "Click!" the super-sleuth calls her photographic memory into action and unmasks the robber. Silly jokes and facts about "going green" round out the routine mystery. Black-and-white illustrations accompany each chapter.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. When two cars are stolen from the school parking lot during the book fair, Cam's favorite author takes a break from signing books to crack the case. Will the girl with the super-duper memory beat him to the punch? The mystery is humdrum, but the visiting writer spices things up by taking credit for Cam's work. Black-and-white illustrations support the text.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Cam Jansen Adventure series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. It's the first day of camp, and Cam already has a mystery on her hands: who set up a fake lockbox to steal campers' snack money? As usual, the girl detective relies on her photographic memory and deductive reasoning to crack the case; two more mysteries follow. It's standard Cam fare, but her fans will be thrilled with this extra-long volume.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. Mark doesn't want to be the turkey in the second-grade Thanksgiving play. It's the worst part. Turkeys end up being eaten by the Indians and Pilgrims, so Mark plans to avoid being seen during the performance. When a pilgrim gets sick, however, he ad-libs and save the day. Mark's predicament will amuse beginning readers, and the energetic illustrations hit the spot.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) PS Illustrated by Joy Allen. "You like makeup, / gems, and jewels. / I like spaceships, / rocks, and tools." In this poem about a friendship between two girls, the narrator describes their similarities as well as their many differences, always returning to the refrain, "We both like being friends." The book approaches blandness, since Beaumont only hints at possible conflicts, but the bouncy rhythm and lively illustrations add energy.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Joy Allen. Divided into eight sections, this book provides every young reader with some reason to guffaw. It's not just gravy that explodes in this rambunctious collection: it's backyard volcanoes and Mother's nerves; it's baseball bats turned vampirish and Thrift-Rite Supermart frozen groceries that morph into an "instant storm." The exuberantly comic drawings spend as much time slipping off the page as they do staying on. Ind.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2002

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Joy Allen. A rhyming text and lively artwork describe Annie's zeal for creating elaborate mud and dirt concoctions. She invites her parents to sample the goods, but they simply make her take a bath. Annie's positive attitude despite their lack of enthusiasm rings false ("No matter what I do in life, I'll do my very best"), but young readers will admire her gumption. A New Testament verse prefaces the story; recipes for edible treats are appended.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) PS Illustrated by Joy Allen. When a little girl's teddy bear becomes so worn and old that the grocer thinks he's a monkey, Mother repairs Bear--according to the girl's exacting specifications--with some stuffing, a needle, thread, and a new red heart. Though on the sentimental side, the story nevertheless has appeal. The digitally enhanced paintings are expressive and energetic.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Step into Reading + Math series. Illustrated by Joy Allen. Each time Penny sells a cup of lemonade, she hikes up the price for the next customer. After her last sale, she's earned just enough money for her mother's birthday card. While the lemonade stand concept is unoriginal and the rhyming story's meter is uneven, the watercolor illustrations feature a whimsical lemonade-making contraption and life-size images of coins--an important visual detail for young readers.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger