IRIS AND WALTER

Guest and Davenier (Mabel Dancing, 2000) kick off an easy-reader series featuring a city girl and a country boy. Missing the accustomed crowds, noises, and street games of her old home, Iris is unhappy out in the country—“ ‘as lonely as Mars,’ ” she complains—until she meets Walter, a lad with a tree house, a pony, and a new way of looking at the world. In no time, she’s teaching him how to roller-skate indoors, while he’s pointing out stars and sharing his hat collection. Though Iris’s hair is an odd, bright blue and Guest tends to repeat phrases—not necessarily a weakness at this elementary reading level, but not natural-sounding either—fledgling readers will be drawn to this easy, four-chapter friendship story. Davenier’s scribbly, freely brushed illustrations, all blues, yellows, and greens, place Iris and Walter into a properly idyllic rural setting. It’s well-traveled territory, but always worth a visit. (Easy reader. 6-8)