Ding Dong! Gorilla!

PreS-Gr 3—After a gorilla shows up at the door, a boy has the wildest night of his life. Unfortunately, he then must explain to his family about crayon on the walls, toys and piles of dirty clothes all over the house, and a broken window and vase (spoiler: the gorilla did it). And that's not even the bad news! When the delivery boy arrives with dinner, the gorilla scares him away and then eats all of the pizza. Soon after, the animal slips discreetly out the door, too, leaving the boy to explain the situation, and his family with a messy house and nothing to eat. This British import has a "Cat in the Hat " vibe, though the textured illustrations (which are digitally rendered and have an oil pastel look to them) add softness to the piece; even at his most troublesome, the gorilla looks so sweet that all must be forgiven.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA