Mad Hatter

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-These easy-readers are for students who are ready to take on longer stories with paragraphs. The third in a series, Batman will appeal to children because of its colorful comic-book illustrations. In this installment, the Dark Knight solves the mystery of why hats are disappearing all over Gotham City and foils an evil villain's plot. It has chapters and full pages of text, which make it more sophisticated than the other two offerings. In Fluffy, a guinea pig imagines himself as the hero in "Jack and the Beanstalk." Plot and cartoon artwork seem more on target for a younger crowd than the readability indicates. In Mama Rex, a young dinosaur who is having trouble reading learns a special trick from his teacher that soon has him off and running. The straightforward language and appealing illustrations capture T's frustration and enthusiasm. Batman and Mama Rex can be used to supplement beginning-reader sections or in classroom libraries where they can be matched to individual reading groups. Fluffy will have a more difficult time finding an audience.-Sandra Kitain, Abrams Hebrew Academy, Yardley, PA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.