What’s Black and White and Stinks All Over?: George Brown, Class Clown, Book 4

Falling somewhere between Megan McDonald’s “Stink” series and David Lubar’s “Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie” seroes for both silliness and reading difficulty, Nancy Krulik’s beginning reader (Grosset, 2011) has an unusual twist—a magical “super burp” that erupts in wild behavior. With a father in the Army, George moves often. This time he’s determined to fit in at his new school without earning his usual reputation as the class clown. However, when George feels the burp coming on, there’s no telling what he might do—dance on the table, jump in the lake, even act like a dog! George’s burp causes havoc diromg Edith B. Sugarman School’s fourth grade Field Day events. George has high hopes of becoming the sportscaster for the school’s new WEBS-TV show, but Louie, the class bully, and George’s burp-inspired antics nearly spoil his chances. Jonathan Todd Ross’s voicing of George, his friends, and Louie is engaging and believable; it’s somewhat of a stretch when he voices Sage, a girl in George’s class. Frequent “bookmarks” make it easy for readers following along with the print version. Kids already invested in the series will appreciate this fourth installment, and new listeners will be up to speed in no time.–Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ