Mrs. Cooney Is Looney!: The Weird School, Book 7

Gr 1–3—"Mrs. Cooney is the most beautiful lady in the history of the world," declares second-grader AJ. But is she actually the school nurse, or is she really an international spy poised to sell America's secrets to the bad guys? Can AJ love a double agent, knowing she's a traitor to his country? Full of punny homophones, slapstick humor, and authentic details about elementary school life, the seventh installment (HarperCollins, 2005) in Dan Gutman's series will have kids chuckling from start to finish. Jared Goldsmith's boyish and buoyant voicing of AJ perfectly brings him to life. He aptly communicates disgust, peevishness, and googly-eyed love. Other characters are narrated in a caricature style: Mrs. Cooney has a breathy, somewhat flirtatious voice, and the two female students have grating falsetto tones. It's the kind of narration that may make adults cringe, but that kids will love. A winning selection for libraries where the series is popular.–Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library,