Arthur struggles to compose a winning entry for the Crunch Cereal Jingle Contest. As the contest deadline nears, he grows increasingly frustrated by his inability to combine rhyme, rhythm, and melody into a snappy contest winner. Little sister D.W. offers to help but is left to her delegated job of eating Crunch cereal, since 20 box tops must be included with each contest entry. Just when it seems his concentrated efforts will come to naught, Arthur overhears D.W. singing to her imaginary friend, Nadine. Her catchy tune is just the ticket for winning the contest. As Arthur records and prepares to mail the surefire winning entry as his own, he suffers a pang of conscience. When the winning jingle is performed on TV several weeks later, it is D.W.'s name that is announced as the winner. The familiar Read family and Arthur's friends people the black-and-white illustrations for this predictable but pleasing installment in Brown's popular beginning chapter-book series. (Reviewed November 1, 1998)

In the latest Ruby Raccoon book, Ruby wakes up expecting to have a perfect day, but one by one her friends say they're too busy to hang out with her. Ultimately, it is a perfect day--"for being all by myself!" This tribute to self-reliance has substance beneath its deceptively simple sentences. The art is sweet and delicate without being too precious.

Gr 2-3-Arthur's picture-book fans who are ready for an increased reading challenge will embrace these books, and those who enjoy the PBS TV show will no doubt recognize the same quality in the book version. The young aardvark needs to come up with a winning jingle for The Crunch Cereal Contest, but his attempts fall short until he is inspired by a little ditty he overhears D. W. hum. He sends in his entry, only to struggle with feelings of not being altogether honest. In the end, he proves he is a winner in both ability and integrity. In Arthur Makes the Team, Arthur has difficulty learning all of the nuances of baseball. His main problem is the ball-it simply will not cooperate with his mitt. Francine's constant criticism is a big obstacle, too, but they manage to overcome their conflict by realizing that team members need to help one another on and off the field. The story lines are simple and the plots move along at a smooth, entertaining pace. The subtle humor is right on target for the intended audience. The characters are fully developed and interact well together. The black-and-white illustrations provide a nice break for readers moving into chapter books.-Pam Hopper Webb, Sandpoint Community Christian School, ID