IF YOU EVER GET LOST

From the hilarious to the hair-raising, this beginning chapter book chronicles the capers of two curious siblings. Evan and Julia, greet each adventure—or calamity, depending upon your perspective—with enthusiasm. Their stories encompass the quirky, everyday events that inevitably occur with children, as well as a few extraordinary ones. Whatever the situation, this unflappable duo can handle it: from the myriad of ingenious uses the two think up for their new umbrellas in “Cloudy with a Chance of Rain” to identifying robbery suspects in “Pet Store Holdup.” The pragmatic tone of the narrative is in direct contrast to the outlandish events, greatly contributing to the overall humor; when Evan is hurtling towards a pond on his sister’s bike, “ ‘Stop, bicycle!’ he tells it in that second before its wheel hits the rim. But the bicycle doesn’t. As far as those watching can tell, it doesn’t even slow down. Up and over the rim it goes, with Evan still on it.” Carpenter’s (A Picnic in October, 1999, etc.) simple black-and-white sketches are sprinkled throughout the text, offering engaging vignettes for readers’ perusal. The nine brief chapters function independently of each other, easily lending themselves to individual read-aloud sessions for less experienced readers. With a keen understanding of children permeating the pages and an abundance of humor and adventure, young audiences will find this one irresistible. (Fiction. 7-10)