When Beany's best friend temporarily defects to the flashy new girl in school, Beany is stuck with class "meany" Kevin as her science-fair partner. Beany has a couple of "very, very, very bad" days, but in tiny increments Kevin's anti-girl, aggressive veneer begins to crack. As in previous books, Beany is a believable, sympathetic character, and this series entry is accessible, funny, and true-to-life.

Gr 3-5-Emma and Josh follow their younger sister, Libby, into the Good Times Travel Agency, where she is lured by the aroma of Chinese noodles. When the travel agent presents the children with a guidebook to ancient China, they are suddenly transported to that civilization. Little Libby is taken to the emperor's palace, and her siblings rescue her and narrowly escape the soldiers pursuing them. While the top part of each page shows the children's adventures in colorful, detailed cartoons, the "guidebook" part provides accurate explanations of various aspects of the landscape and culture. It includes such topics as farming, transportation, inventions, homes, food, writing and paper, family, and the Great Wall. The combination of adventure story and factual material makes this book both fun and educational. At times, the twins are portrayed in a stereotypical way: Josh consistently bemoans his missed soccer game, while Emma worries about little Libby's safety. Still, this book, with its historical and cultural perspective, has merit. Shelby Mamdani's Traditions from China (Raintree, 1999) and Miles Harvey's Look What Came from China (Watts, 1998), with their great photos and cultural information, are appropriate complements.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.