The latest book in the Miss Fox's Class series makes the most of a clever idea. When Miss Fox challenges her class to earn the money for a field trip to Roller Coaster Planet, they respond with enthusiasm. But their energetic fund-raising is repeatedly undercut by unexpected expenses: after dousing the visiting author's suit, they must pay for cleaning; after breaking his glasses, they must pay for a new lens, etc. Teachers will appreciate the inclusion of real-life addition and subtraction, while kids will enjoy the buoyant humor as the story unfolds in well-chosen words and amusingly chaotic watercolor-and-ink illustrations.

Gr 1-3 Miss Fox's students are planning a field trip to a roller-coaster park. First, though, they must raise money to pay for their tickets and the bus ride, and these kids make earning $135 a very long roller-coaster ride of a math problem, with both addition and subtraction. For each contribution to their money jar, there is also a subtraction to pay for their mishaps: they wash their principal's car but get a visiting author's suit wet with their hose and have to pay for dry cleaning; they bake brownies to sell, but Mr. Possum chips a tooth on an unexpected ingredient and they have to pay for his dentist's visit. Their savings climb, only to dip. As hard as they try, it does not seem they will reach their goal. In the end, Mr. Possum, who has been the victim of many of their mishaps, pays them to stay away so he can remain accident free. The extended math problem makes the story a nice tie-in for young mathematicians, who will be amused by the slapstick events, but the final resolution (paying the children for not working) may be a point for further discussion. Watercolor and ink illustrations are bright and add humor, with expressive gestures and facial reactions. Combine this book with Leslie Helakoski's The Smushy Bus (Millbrook, 2002) for additional reinforcement of basic skills. Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME