The Hole in the Middle

PreS-Gr 2—Morgan has a problem. He has a big round hole in his middle and it makes him feel empty. His friend Yumi tries to help him feel better by making him treats and playing games with him, but the hole will not go away. When Yumi becomes ill, Morgan visits her every day and tries to do nice things for her. He becomes so busy cheering her up that he forgets about the hole, and it shrinks away to nothing but a belly button. Budnitz's message about friendship and the joy of serving others is clear, but not too heavy-handed. The simple text is printed in a large, child-friendly font on top of Kakeda's full-page, full-color illustrations. Young readers will find Morgan and Yumi's world, with its bright, multicolored flowers and red, spotted toadstools, inviting. The children are drawn with curved lines and have faces made of simple shapes. The illustration style is reminiscent of Japanese children's anime, and will appeal to those who like "Hello Kitty."—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT