In these early chapter books, fox Ginger handles playdate obstacles, including friends who don't play nice. Ginger navigates sticky social situations with grace by providing examples of fair play. One of Ginger's friends is described as "crazy," when rowdy or rule-breaking would have been a more apt description. Davis's monochromatic purple illustrations capture the energy and conflict of each playdate. Glos.

K-Gr 2 A humorous early chapter book with a questionable title and message. Ginger Green, a vivacious seven-year-old fox, calls herself "The Playdate Queen." She excitedly plans a playdate with her friend Maisy; from the beginning it is clear that Maisy's exuberance is overwhelming, not just for Ginger but also for her mother and older sister. After removing all of her clothes, Maisy runs through the house, devours food without asking, then ends up on the roof. Ginger must find a way to tell Maisy how she feels about her chaotic behavior before the playdate is ruined for good. Ginger is a likable protagonist, and some characters are realistic, like Ginger's frustrated mother and aloof older sister, but the character of Maisy is inconsistent. Her behavior evokes a sense of playful silliness reminiscent of Junie B. Jones, but then veers into inappropriate and downright dangerous scenarios. When Ginger's older sister uses the name "Crazy Maisy," she is reprimanded by her mother for being unkind, but the word, "crazy" is used repeatedly to describe Maisy, even by Maisy herself, perpetuating a stereotype that seems incongruous with literature for young, impressionable readers. The line-drawn illustrations by Davis complement the chaos of the story and bring the characters to life. VERDICT A book with potential, but this story reinforces stereotypes for the sake of humor. Casey O'Leary, Mooresville Public Library., IN

In Kane and Davis' (The New Friend, 2016) second collaboration, play-date queen Ginger Green invites an unconventional friend over, and she has regrets immediately.Seven-year-old fox Ginger takes great pride in her play-date setups, and she is excited for the next one with classmate Maisy. Almost immediately, though, Ginger is on the back foot as Maisy gets up to some unexpected antics: overexcited doorbell-ringing, enthusiastic nudity, and reckless roof-climbing chief among them. Ginger (not to mention her mother) is flummoxed at first but soon becomes angry—not the best mood for a play date. After Maisy returns to the ground and both have had some soothing lemonade, the girls do a few handstands and flips, and Ginger remembers that she loves her friend precisely because she always does the unexpected. Adding a dash of drama and danger to the social dilemma of playing hostess the series explores, this chapter book navigates the complex maze of developing friendships and the negotiation of compatibility. Uncluttered, grayscale illustrations provide cues without becoming distracting for new readers. That said, readers turned off by discriminatory terms such as "crazy" (used sparingly but significantly here) or notions that difference is linked to danger may want to try a different installment of the series.Sweet, fun, and a little flawed. (Chapter book. 6-8)