In a nice take on the outsider story, this lively chapter book in the I Can Read! series uses a classroom setting to open up ideas not only about the new kid who is different and interesting but also about science and language. When Luna suggests that the class do a show about the night sky for Family Night, all the kids look at her as if she were the new kid from outer space. But the wonderful teacher quietly supports her idea, and the classroom performance with stars in a midnight circus proves a great success. The puns are part of the fun, and Carter's colorful illustrations show the classroom play with the best teacher there in the background. Pair this with Kenah's The Best Seat in Second Grade (2005).

This Level 2 reader in the I Can Read series reinvigorates the theme of travail and triumph for the new kid in class. Luna loves stars and planets, but her initial elation with the like-minded Mr. Hopper turns to despondence: Her new classmates find her passion for astronomy odd. During class planning for Family Night, Luna suggests a show about the night sky, since (with shooting comets and animal-shaped constellations) it's "like a midnight circus." The kids are enthusiastic instead about a circus theme: Luna's "good idea had come and gone, just like a shooting star." A lunch-line conversation reveals—horrors!—that Mrs. Mudlark's class is also busy planning a circus. Luna's notion is revived, and after the successful show, she "beamed like the sun." Kenah makes a sparkling array of similes and metaphors accessible to primary students, a nifty feat within the constraints of the reader format. Carter's cheery watercolors extend the apt school details, depicting a multicultural classroom with several biracial children, including Luna herself. A school story that shines. (Easy reader. 5-8)

K-Gr 2-Mr. Hopper's class is planning for Family Night, and Luna suggests a Midnight Circus, a celebration perfectly attuned to her own passion for planets and stars. Instead, her classmates embrace the idea of a traditional circus, dividing into groups of lions, tigers, and bears, while Luna grows even more single-minded in her celestial fascination. As a new student, she has experienced some anxiety; now her adjustment is further compromised as classmates are confused by her obsession. When the second graders are forced to make a sudden program change, Mr. Hopper rallies the children around Luna's creative idea to bring the Midnight Circus to Room 75. On Family Night Luna is beaming, her sense of validation and acceptance reflected back to her wise and gentle teacher. By clearly evoking the discomfort and quirky behavior of the new kid in class, this story offers great discussion possibilities. It is a typical leveled reader with short sentences and chapters and an ample number of engaging cartoon drawings. However, the character development and opportunity for inferential thinking make it more substantial than many books of this type.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.