Gr 2-4 Bobby Quinn got his beagle in Absolutely Lucy (Golden Bks., 2000). In this book, the eight-year-old is still dealing with fears of speaking in school and making friends, but having a puppy is helping him. When the local Pet-O-Rama store has a contest to choose the best "spokespet," Bobby decides to enter Lucy. After he learns that he has to give a speech as part of the competition, he must decide whether or not he can overcome his fear of public speaking. This beginning chapter book has realistic characters that readers can identify with and root for. Bobby's friends care about and want success for one another. The action and suspense will keep children engaged. The occasional drawings lend graphic support, and the cute puppy on the cover will attract animal lovers. Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

In this entertaining if predictable story, Bobby is still shy, even with two new friends and the love of his beagle, Lucy. Upcoming oral reports at school make him nervous, but entering Lucy in a pet contest builds his confidence and gives him something to report. Bobby's shyness is a refreshing change from the usual exuberantly portrayed eight-year-old narrators.

Bobby and his beagle puppy Lucy are back in this welcome sequel to Absolutely Lucy (2000, illustrated by Amanda Harvey). Lucy has been a big help with Bobby's natural shyness, even helping him to meet his first real friends, Shawn and Candy. But Bobby is afraid of the first day of third grade, speaking up in school and meeting new friends, and Lucy's exuberance sometimes gets out of hand. Once school begins, Lucy misses Bobby and takes to shoe chewing. A contest for a "spokespet" provides an opportunity for Bobby and Lucy to push their social skills—Bobby will have to work with Lucy and perform in public while Lucy will have to focus her wild beagle-energy into more productive activities. Pets and kids are a natural combination, and Cooper gets the nervousness and bravado of third grade just right. New readers will look forward to watching Bobby face the same challenges they do. The familiar characters and Merrell's frequent, detailed black-and-white illustrations will help them face this relatively long chapter book with confidence. Will they want to read more about Bobby and Lucy? Absolutely. (Fiction. 7-10)