NO ROOM FOR FRANCIE

Macdonald (Lots of O'Learys, 1994, etc.) hits the mark with this offering in the Chapters series of books. Francie wants to have the next meeting of the second-grade Comics Club at her house, but she has no privacy; with six kids in her family, including infant twins, the house is too crowded. She hopes to transform the old toolshed out back into a meeting place, but has no time to fix it up and only one friend to help her. Clear conflict, good pacing, and solid characterizations will keep new readers turning the pages, even if the references to comic strips are somewhat dated. Christelow's black-and-white illustrations are a good complement to the tale, making the lighthearted text even more accessible to new and reluctant readers. (Fiction. 7-9)