FOUR EYES

Hooray! Bunny Pearl and mouse Wagner are back with a new installment of stories, jokes, friendship and eye tests. Yes, eye tests. Eagle-eyed new readers who spot a scientific diagram of the eye in the background while Wagner squints ferociously at the giant writing on the board know that Wagner is in for a challenge this time. Though he fails the eye test spectacularly, Wagner insists he is “never, never, never” getting glasses! Pearl is there with encouragement, though, even when older kids make fun of his new specs. Children will laugh when the rest of Wag’s classmates come up with a unique way of showing solidarity with their friend. A familiar story arc is made fresh through the loving watercolor illustrations, in which every emotion is shown through the eyes of these fast friends. The school setting allows for chalkboard reading, which adds to the fun for kids flexing their muscles with print. Ample white space, endearing characters, occasional jokes and speech bubbles mark this early-reader series as one to watch. (Early reader. 4-7)