Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  When you fall asleep chewing a wad of gum, you’re going to wake up in the morning with it stuck in your hair.  Everyone has a solution: scissors, butter, grass clippings, noodles and bacon…before long your hair is one big mess.  Your pet rabbit tries to eat the grass, and the cat decides to join the rabbit.  When the police and firefighters show up, it’s time to put an end to things.  “STOP!” you yell.  “GET OUT! Please.”  That’s enough to send everyone packing, including the gum, who jumps out of your hair saying, “Jeez. Rude.”  So now you know how to get rid of gum in your hair, and not a moment too soon.  It’s time for school.  And Picture Day. 56 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’m a big Adam Rex fan (looks like this is the eighth book I’ve reviewed that he’s written and/or illustrated), because his wacky stories and illustrations are so popular with kids.  This one will definitely get a lot of laughs, with its catch rhyming text and increasingly out-of-control storyline and illustrations.

Cons:  Everyone knows to use peanut butter for gum in hair, not butter.

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Published by Kids Can Press

Summary:  Every page of this oversized book shows the same cutaway of a large house with animal inhabitants ranging from a family of mice to a bear (ignore the ominous fact that the mice are sandwiched between an owl above them, and foxes below).  A few sentences tell the story of their day: a young rabbit is having a birthday party; a bear is sick in bed; Mom Fox is about to have a baby.  These events play out as the day goes on, but sharp-eyed readers will notice other details in the illustrations.  Three pigs hide from a wolf, as a blonde girl (perhaps named Goldilocks?) breaks into the foxes’ home while they’re away and eats and sleeps there.  By the last page, most inhabitants (except the owl) are settling down for the evening and the story concludes, “And what a day it has been for everyone!” 32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  The activity isn’t quite as manic as a Richard Scarry book, but the many different animals and their activities will bring his work to mind.  I found myself laughing out loud at some of the illustrations, particularly the fairy tale characters and other side stories that aren’t written about in the text.  Probably not a great book for a group read-aloud, but a perfect one to pore over one-on-one.

Cons:  The book’s oversized format (14 inches tall, and almost a foot wide) may make it hard to fit on the library’s shelves.

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Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Not much happens on Humdrum Farm, where the hens lay extraordinarily average eggs and the pigs only roll in the mud when necessary.  The only exception is Goat Girl, who loves French cooking and invents her own games.  When she stumbles upon Merle the bull, the oldest animal on the farm, she’s sure she has found a kindred spirit.  Merle, however, is convinced he’s as humdrum as the rest of the animals, and refuses to admit he’s the cowboy that Goat Girl says he is.  But Goat Girl doesn’t know that Merle once harbored dreams of being a cowboy.  When the chickens escape and start heading to cross the road for the Other Side Café, it turns out to be Merle who lives up to his dreams and saves the day.  The next day, it’s back to humdrum business as usual on the farm…except out in the pasture where Goat Girl and Cow Boy are having a decidedly un-humdrum good time.  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  I laughed out loud a couple times, and kids will undoubtedly have the same reaction.  The illustrations are at least as funny as the story, and the “Be yourself” message is delivered with an exceedingly light hand.

Cons:  I was sad that Merle had given up on his dreams for so many years.

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