Mrs. Kormel Is Not Normal: My Weird School #11

Gr 1–3—The 11th installment (HarperCollins, 2006) of Gutman's zany series finds A.J. on the bus on his least favorite day of the week—Monday. He hates school and all the subjects that go with it, but now he is especially not looking forward to the spelling test he had forgotten about. Mrs. Kormel, the bus driver, is so weird that she has created her own secret language, but that's only the beginning of the adventure. She gets a call to pick up the "nude kid," and the bus is off—but not to school! It gets later and later as they get lost in the middle of nowhere. Finally, the ultimate sacrifice of a beloved action figure results in a flat tire. Will the kids ever make it to Ella Mentry School? This popular title is brought to life by Jared Goldsmith whose portrayal of the kids is so realistic that it may drive any adults listening a bit crazy. Reluctant readers will enjoy listening to their favorite characters and anticipating the usual unusual results.—Elizabeth Elsbree, Aurora Public Library, IL