Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting Book

When, for some strange reason, Clarice Bean's parents can't find anyone to babysit for a few days, they must resort to Uncle Ted, a firefighter ("so he wears special pants") who occasionally lassoes lamps and "can get you in a firefighter's carry before you can say 'Uncle Ted put me down!'" All goes well for a day or two, as Clarice Bean's daylight-despising older brother, phone-chatting big sister, accident-prone younger brother, and wandering Grandad, manage to say things like "please and thank you and sorry... and let people share their stuff without grumbling." But then her little brother Minal Cricket lets Albert (the school guinea pig on spring break) out of his hutch, and the fragile family balancing act topples. In no time, Minal is on his way to the emergency room, after an accidental bop on the head with a soccer ball, Grandad has wandered into the neighbor's house to watch the horse races, and the entire fire department shows up in time for Clarice Bean's mom's return.

It's no wonder Clarice Bean and her cool uncle get along "like a house on fire (ha ha)." Quirky and feisty, these two have a way with calamity that readers won't soon forget. Nor will they forget Lauren Child's unusual and tremendously appealing cut-paper and photographic collages. Her text wends its way around the illustrations, spiraling if need be, and growing or shrinking as appropriate. Fans of Lauren Child's Clarice Bean, That's Me will do backflips of joy to see a new title about this precocious girl and her very nutty family. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter