(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. There's plenty to be learned from roadkill, claims the trained-biologist author, who investigates these dead animals herself and interviews people who have built careers around it. (Even though Montgomery warns readers not to study these animals at home, her enthusiasm may override kids' caution.) The humorous tone, plentiful illustrations, and gross-out subject matter will draw in a certain type of reluctant reader, but there's tons of scientific information here, too. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) YA Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. The demises of nineteen famous people, beginning with King Tut and ending with Albert Einstein, are recounted in gory detail. Attempts to lighten the accounts through use of a jokey tone and conversational slang can tiptoe into tastelessness; nevertheless, readers are warned in an introduction, and reluctant ones may snap this up. Crosshatched black-and-white spot art appears throughout the text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Little Bear asks Mama Bear, "If you were a doctor / in charge of a zoo / what would you do / if Gnu had the flu?" So begins a series of silly questions and answers in rhymed text that is both humorous and reassuring. Mixed-media illustrations star cartoon bears, with scribbly pictures by Little Bear given center stage on the pages.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Miss Malarkey has been acting weirdly, and rumors fly that she wants to quit teaching. The students soon discover that she's merely getting married, and they're all invited to the ceremony. The lucky groom? Mr. Fulla. Yes, the story's contrived, and the authors can't resist a "Fulla-Malarkey" joke, but the groan-inducing humor and cartoony caricatures will please fans of the series.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. For Danny's birthday, his family members promise him a pet. Thinking they know best, they get him the pets that they want. The design-marker and colored-pencil illustrations, including funny close-up perspectives, show why these animals don't work out, and Danny finally gets his wished-for turtle. Kids will enjoy anticipating the text's rhymes as they turn pages.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Root introduces legendary lumberjack Paul's outsize "little" sister, who sets off for the North Woods, where she'll have some space. The hyperbole-strewn story suffers from a lack of plot, but O'Malley does a fine job of capturing each dramatic episode (Paula befriends a bear, sics mosquitoes on some tree-felling lumberjacks, etc.) in his large-scale illustrations, which have a fittingly woodblockish quality.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Pete isn't sure how to react when his balding, scruffy dad shaves his head ("He didn't even look like his dad anymore"). A day of reflection sets Pete on the road to acceptance. Despite some too-precious interactions, the text models matter-of-fact discussions about changing appearances. The illustrations humorously incorporate visual and linguistic (a mechanic's ad asks, "Got Bald Tires?") manifestations of baldness.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. This well-intentioned but didactic story features optimistic bibliophile Miss Malarkey, who is convinced she can find a book for every student, even the most reluctant one, to enjoy during the school readathon. The story focuses on the variety of genres available to readers, and cartoonlike illustrations with speech bubbles lend some extra liveliness. A reading guide is included.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. In her fifth book, Miss Malarkey takes her class on a science center field trip. They don't exactly have the scientific experience she'd hoped--instead they learn that there are "cool hair dryers in the bathroom" and "gift shops aren't cheap." Though a lot of the humor--especially in O'Malley's illustrations--is directed toward adults, children will enjoy the familiar characters and story line.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. As in Testing Miss Malarkey, Finchler addresses a timely topic in schools--this time, pushy parents at athletic events. Teacher (and now coach) Miss Malarkey is as likable as ever, reminding the children that "winning isn't everything," despite the less-than-admirable behavior of all other adults involved. The message feels a bit heavy-handed paired with such lighthearted illustrations.

Reviewer: Amanda Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. This update of the familiar Christmas song features a girl whose parents give her a "little pine tree" on the first day of Christmas, with ornaments for it each day thereafter. The ornaments increase not only in number but in size, as does the tree itself, so that her hallway becomes a wonderland in time for Santa's visit. Soft, dark hues fill the comic illustrations of this text whose meter only occasionally falters.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. While visiting his unconventional aunts in the country, Jackie participates in a raid on the neighbor's plum tree to make jam. After Jackie drops off a few jars of jam in a nighttime restitution visit, the angry farmer becomes a lot more neighborly. Although long, the story is amiably paced and filled with farm details and the aunts' idiosyncrasies; the illustrations are O'Malley's humorous, individuated cartoons.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. At the Dinosaur Card Trading Fair, Andy watches as his older brother Mike wheels and deals until he has the three Allosaurus cards he needs to make a trade for a Tyrannosaurus rex. Illustrations depict fair attendees sporting dinosaur hats and masks--à la Star Trek fans--and simple diagrams show the comparative value of the cards Mike trades. Follow-up activities are included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Simon, the largest kid in his class, has trouble being unobtrusive. When he joins his parents on an African safari, he's bigger and noisier than almost all the animals. But when he discovers elephants enjoying their big noisiness and later becoming breathtakingly silent, Simon finds new role models. Amusing if sometimes garish pictures illustrate this far-fetched story.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. O'Malley's personable caricatures continue to enhance the Miss Malarkey series; here the teacher nervously prepares the students for a big school-ranking test. There are funny details--the principal is obsessed with No. 2 pencils and loses his toupee; the gym teacher teaches yoga for stress reduction; the lunch lady serves "brain food," such as fish--but the subversive humor is aimed mostly at adults.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. A pet lizard tells how his owner, an eight-year-old boy, copes with a move from the city to the suburbs. The lizard's narrative voice is both funny and sympathetic as he chronicles his own close encounters with danger and with his owner's struggles to learn how to ride a bike. The chapter book's black-and-white illustrations portray the world from both the lizard's and the boy's perspectives.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Nate's new friend Donald becomes the target of class bully Louisa, who nicknames him King of the Kooties. Nate and Donald try to curry favor with Louisa by making her cookies and extravagantly praising her, but she doesn't stop her teasing until they threaten to dub her the Kootie Princess. Illustrated with simple line drawings, the slight book offers a tame look at a common grade-school problem.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. During a field day, a group of twelve Australian animal campers splits into halves for a tug of war, thirds for a swim meet, and fourths for a canoe race. The simple story line presents a real-world application of fractions and division, neatly reinforced by O'Malley's expressive illustrations. Related activities are suggested.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. A witch puts a spell on her freshly baked pumpkin pie to protect it from scavengers, but a vampire, ghoul, ghost, banshee, zombie, and skeleton find the pie irresistible. They stuff themselves, then fall asleep--and the spell transforms them into the various ingredients the witch needs to bake a new pie. The repetitive text and large spooky-comic illustrations make the tale a fine not-too-scary read-aloud.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Simple descriptions of the objects in the solar system include information on the sun, planets, moon, asteroids, and comets. The illustrations, which show the astronomer-narrator and a group of kids at an observatory, include photos of various space objects. Suggested activities at the back of the book include traditional comparisons of the relative sizes and distance of the planets, as well as websites to visit for further information.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.