Dust Bunny Funnies: Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

What do all those dust bunnies under the bed DO when they're just hangin' out? And why ARE they always hangin' out under there anyhow? And WHERE do those dang dust bunnies come from in the first place?

If these and the question of the meaning of life have always tantalized the mind, Jan Thomas' brand-new rib-tickler Rhyming Dust Bunnies has the answer to at least the first two queries. (Hey, two out of three ain't bad!)

Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob, dust bunny buddies, have their rhymin' timin' well honed:

"Hello! We are Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob. We rhyme all the time!

"Hey," says Ted. "What rhymes with car?"

"Far!" parries Ed.

"Jar!" zips back Ned.

"LOOK!" shouts Bob.

"No, Bob," explains Ed patiently. "'Look' doesn't rhyme with car!"

Ed tries it again. "What rhymes with bug?"

Ted and Ned fire right back with "mug" and "jug," but Bob yells, more loudly than before, "LOOK OUT!"

Ned gives it a shot with "dog." Ed and Ted whip back with "hog," and "log." Bob, with even greater intensity, warns loudly, "HERE COMES A SCARY MONSTER WITH A BROOM!"

"No, Bob, NO!" Ned explains pedantically. "'Here comes a scary monster with a broom' doesn't rhyme with anything, really!"

"AAAAHHHH!" It may not rhyme, but the meaning is clear that it's time to scram under the furniture, and the four woozles do.

As the four dust buddies cower under the cover of a chest, Ned heaves a sign of relief. "Good call, Bob!" he whispers. "Now," begins Ted, "what rhymes with cat?" "Sat!" says Ned, "Pat," says Ed.

"VACUUM CLEANER!" yells the ever vigilant Bob.

"Thwptt!"

"Um, Bob, what rhymes with HOW DO WE GET OUT OF HERE?"

"HELP!"

As a humorous emergent reader book, Rhyming Dust Bunnies is a clean sweep, with plenty of context clues in the pictures to suggest the harder words. Early readers will immediately want to share this one with their reading buddies.

Other easy-to-read funny stories by Thomas include What Will Fat Cat Sit On? and The Doghouse.

Ocean of Calamine Lotion: Fancy Nancy, Poison Ivy Expert by Jane O'Connor

"Look, I'm picking a bouquet of wild flowers. ('Bouquet' is fancy for a bunch of flowers.)"

"Watch out for poison ivy," Mom keeps warning me.

"I am! I AM!" I say. "I know what poison ivy looks like. I'm practically a poison ivy EXPERT."

But Nancy is more of an expert on fancy vocabulary than she is on poison ivy, and soon she finds herself sprouting red bumps on her hands and face and itching all over every inch of herself. Her fancy bouquet goes to school with her friend Bree for her teacher, but Fancy Nancy finds herself missing Ms. G's surprise birthday party at school and perfectly miserable at home. ("Miserable is even worse than unhappy, and also much fancier!")

But her herbalist (fancy for plant expert) neighbor Mrs. DeVine comes up with a jewelweed salve which stops the itch, and Mom checks Nancy out a fascinating (fancy for interesting) library book on poison ivy with all the facts and fictions about the triple-leaved threat, making her a REAL expert.

Finally Nancy is well enough to go over to Bree's house, and Ooh La La, there's a surprise party, complete with cookies, punch, and dancing to the golden oldie Coasters' hit "Poison Ivy," all in her honor!

Jane O'Connor's just published I-Can-Read Fancy Nancy: Poison Ivy Expert (I Can Read Book 1) (HarperCollins, 2009) is just what the doctor ordered for emergent (level 1) readers who like their heroines on the sparkly side. As always, O'Connor appends a glossary of "Fancy Nancy's Fancy Words" to add to her readers' fascinating vocabularies.

"Give Peas a Chance?" Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements

Something TERRIBLE happens every Tuesday night.

It's not the pork chop or the mashed potatoes.

It all starts when I'm forced to eat. . . PEAS!

My parents act as if I'm making it up, but I'm NOT! With just the slightest touch. . .IT begins!

While Mom and Dad watch with weary fascination, (Dad--"Time for another fun-filled hour." Mom--'And we're off!") PEAS-aphobia sets in. First the kid's hands begin to wiggle almost imperceptibly. Then his eyes begin to water and his toes twist and curl up inside his shoes. (Dad--"That's a new one."!)

"I try to keep control" the kid manages to say, "but the pea is too strong. I start to transform into

A VEGGIE MONSTER!"

But just as a full-fledged food fit is about to take over, the kid accidentally swallows the pea. ("GULP! It tasted all right really," the kid observes with surprise.) (Dad--"Quite a performance tonight." Mom--I particularly enjoyed the toe-curling.")

With the kid's new taste for the spherical veggie, the pea performance seems to be passe. But tomorrow is Wednesday and Wednesday brings another dinner theatre of its own. Because Wednesday dinner means . . .

BROCCOLI!

George McClements' Night of the Veggie Monster brings us another familiar episode in the famous family food fight drama. McClements' googly-eyed picky eater and his bemused and slightly sarcastic parents act out their well-worn roles in familiar but hilarious fashion as the much-maligned pea is finally consumed.

For an even more "peas-full pair," put this one with Rookie Reader classic Eat Your Peas Louise (Rookie Readers). Although they may not bring, um, peace to the table when peas are on the plate, they will definitely tantalize the funny bone and whet the appetite of early readers.