Crafty Chloe

K-Gr 2—Chloe isn't good at sports, video games, or dancing. Her forte is making things, from coffee-filter hats to outfits for her dog. However, when it comes time to get a birthday present for her best friend, Emma, she goes shopping. She zeroes in on the perfect gift, Violet, a Flower Girl doll, when another child, London, informs her she has already purchased it for Emma. Although London says this "extra sweetly," the expression on her face, as well as her dog's, tells a different story. When Chloe says she will make Emma something instead, London is nasty and derisive. However, when the doll comes to grief on the way to the party, Chloe's homemade creation saves the day, and London's derision turns to praise. While Chloe is a likable character, her excessive concern over the birthday present (going so far as to feign illness to avoid the party) is unrealistic, as is London's instant transformation. While Ross's digitally colored pencil illustrations add some humor to the story, this is strictly an additional purchase.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ