JUDY MOODY & STINK

First there was Judy and then there was Stink and now . . . they are together in their own book, filled with color illustrations and a sparkly, kid-attracting cover. For young readers who have learned to read with Judy and her brother, this is an event worth celebrating. All Stink wants for Christmas is SNOW. Judy, armed with her knowledge of Virginia weather patterns and the effects of global warming, tries to get Stink to ask for something reasonable. The arrival of a white-bearded, overweight letter carrier named Jack (Frost) gives Stink the extra amount of hope he needs. Judy, hoping to avert a muddy and moody Christmas, conspires to cheer up her brother with her own brand of snow. Some readers will miss the trademark brown-paper cover and sketched illustrations of the earlier books, but many will welcome the bright, color-drenched paintings as a little holiday magic. No matter the color, Judy and Stink’s stories are always welcome for their humor and good spirit. (Fiction. 5-9)