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 Five students are assigned a group report on any subject. No guidelines such as length or scope are given, and the children's grade is not indicated. The youngsters select the 50 states as their topic, with each one responsible for several states. The completed assignment makes up the book. Each page features one state and includes its nickname and capital; a paragraph or two of text; and a crude, childlike color drawing of a map dotted with illustrations of the random facts and trivia presented. Some of the information appears to have been chosen for humor or to surprise readers. This can be fun but presents a skewed picture of the states. For example, North Carolina is noteworthy for gold discovered in 1799 with no mention of tobacco, and the material on New York leaves out the worldwide importance of New York City. Also included are a page on Washington, DC, a sketchy history of the flag and of the growth of the U.S., and a picture gallery of the nation's presidents. Kathleen Krull's Wish You Were Here: Emily's Guide to the 50 States (Doubleday, 1997) is a better choice. Marlene Gawron, formerly at Orange County Library, Orlando, FL