Eleven-year-old Violet's best friend is more interested in trying on makeup with new-girl Melissa than frying up fish with Violet. Violet's in a funk--and it will take nothing less than a lightning strike to bring her out. Readers will find Violet, with her down-home drawl, sympathetic and easy to like, and the 1970s Florida summer setting is evocatively drawn.

BAINES, Becky . What's in That Egg?: A Book About Life Cycles . ISBN 978-1-4263-0408-8 ; ISBN 978-1-4263-0409-5 . LC 2008047895. ea vol: 30p. (Zig Zag Series). diags. illus. photos. CIP. National Geographic . 2009. Tr $14.95; PLB $19.90. K-Gr 2 These titles engage children through humor, clear language, interesting facts, and abundant photos. In the first book, Baines takes readers through the functions that bones perform in a human body. A caption reads, "Bonk! Your skull is like a helmet for your brain." The second volume opens with a picture of a generic egg about to hatch, illustrated with the word balloon, "Hello? Mom?" As explained in the next pages, it might contain a turtle or a fish or a butterfly. Maybe it's a swan. How about an alligator? All sorts of eggs are explained. Both books have two font sizes. The larger one is easier to read, while the smaller one might require adult help and explanation. Each one concludes with a spread of facts and questions to zigzag through and ponder. Excellent introductions for young science students. Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI