(2) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. There are 120,000 different kinds of flies, all of which have predators ready to devour them. But before the flies go down the hatch, they have to be caught, and that's the focus of this humorous and informative look at food preparation on the fly. The book does a countdown of thirteen different methods: frogs use their tongues to zap them; crab spiders snatch them with their long front legs; garden spiders employ a two-step process, first killing flies with venom and then ­wrapping them up "like a burrito." Trout wait until baby flies, or midges, hatch just above the water's surface and then simply leap and gulp. Clark's bright, digitally colored creatures, with exaggerated facial expressions, set the tone; visual humor abounds, including the recurring lineup of different species of fly that decreases by one as the countdown progresses. A witty text culminates with equally ­amusing back matter, from a food label listing nutritional information (one serving: 65–80 flies, "depending on species") that accompanies a ­tongue-in-cheek guide to fine fly dining, to a diagram labeling the edible parts of a fly. Appended with further reading and websites for ­children and a bibliography of sources. Bon ­appétit!

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. Ants farm, herd animals, and build roads; they live in communities and have jobs. By comparing ant behaviors to those of humans, Heos imparts information about the insects that young readers can connect with. The zany cartoon illustrations are funny, but more photos or realistic illustrations would have added to the usefulness of this informational book. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. Like humans, birds sing, decorate their homes, and gossip; they flirt, dance, and build homes. Heos compares bird behaviors to those of humans to impart information that young readers can connect with. The anthropomorphic cartoon illustrations are funny, but more photos or realistic illustrations would have added to the usefulness of this informational book. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. This confusingly titled and laid-out book is actually a terrific alphabetical tour of a kids' science fair, augmented by droll dialogue balloons: A is for "Anti-matter" ("Oh no--where did it go?"), B for "Bionic Limb" ("You put Mr. Farnsworth down this instant"), etc. (There's also a story line about a killer zucchini.) Descriptions of the featured scientific phenomena conclude the book.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by David Clark. Scott presents a history of money--from the barter system to today's world of finance--in her easy-to-understand narrative. Additional topics covered include depressions, recessions, budgeting, debt, interest, credit ratings, and using money wisely. Clever writing instills this somewhat mundane subject with interest, and the informational and timeline sidebars add an extra dimension. Humorous drawings embellish the text. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. When Dr. Brok steals 5/9 at an auction and disguises it as a multiple of itself, young fraction freak George builds a gadget that reduces fractions to their lowest terms. This introduction to simplifying fractions is that rare book about math that's as entertaining as it is instructive. Clark's parodic illustrations feature heightened characters reminiscent of Monty Python creations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by David Clark. "Finding food / is not a joke. / Living things must eat / or croak." Twenty-nine poems--free verse, haiku, etc.--celebrate the food chain and animal survival instincts in all their gory glory. Ink and watercolor illustrations support the pieces' humor alongside the solid scientific facts. "More Words About the Poems" and "More Words About the Animals" are appended. Reading list.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. After Bobby (a boy with "energy to spare") falls down, his head cracks open and his brain escapes. The whole town tries to capture the elusive organ, but only Bobby himself can succeed. Spindly ink and watercolor illustrations propel the manic humor in this gratuitously weird story of a hollow-headed boy and his swift-footed brain.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. The Mine-o-saur's greediness gains him toys, blocks, and snacks but alienates him from the other dinosaurs in his class. A dose of the cold shoulder helps him see he'd rather have friends than stuff. The text alternates between prose and Mine-o-saur's rhyming tirades. The energetic, colorful illustrations may distract readers from the all-too-apparent message: greed is bad, sharing good.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. Kristi's family starts a business posing as pets for owners who need training. Kristi, who makes mess after mess with her overexuberant behavior, wonders which pet impersonation would be just right for her. The cartoonlike illustrations verge on the grotesque (Kristi has no neck and her head is flat like a Frisbee) but are oddly befitting this weird story.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. Readers sail along with Pirate Bob and his greedy nose that itches for treasure as he waits for the next ship to plunder. Quirky characters (like Yellow Jack, a crewmate suffering from scurvy) and nautical terms are introduced but never developed in the book's sometimes disjointed text; however, silly full-page ink and watercolor illustrations help keep this book afloat.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. Sarah fears she'll get in trouble for coming home after her seven o'clock curfew, so she decides to sneak home through her neighborhood. Awkward rhymes describe Sarah's nighttime journey as she confronts (or imagines) some very hairy scary oversize creatures, including a spider and a lion. The atmospheric images of the creatures and Sarah's fearful reactions to them are more comical than scary.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Clark. After three sweet but clueless rabbits force their cousin Grumblebunny to play outside, a wolf snatches up all four and throws them in his cooking pot. Grumble's attitude turns the broth sour, and he convinces the other three to act cranky, too. The game works well, and the wolf dumps the pot of grumblers out the door. The lurid cartoonlike illustrations may not please all, but the tongue-in-cheek text will appeal to bunnies both dour and dumb.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn