My Mom Has X-Ray Vision

K-Gr 2—Matthew is certain that his mother has superhuman abilities. She might have "ordinary hair, ordinary clothes, and a nice smile," but she also seems to have X-ray vision. So Matthew decides to test his hypothesis. He disobeys her request to bring in the groceries and hides in a closet, waiting to see if she knows where he is—and he waits, and waits, and waits. Matthew's logical thought processes pull youngsters along through bright full-page cartoons with visual details like the dragon in his fantasies or a superhero costume hanging on the clothesline while font changes add emphasis. Larger-than-life endpapers reveal the attributes of Matthew's poster-perfect mom—one for his everyday mom, and one for Supermom—and inset views allow readers to understand how she uses her "super-brain" to see through walls. While her unpublicized actions prove her to be a true supermom, her powers are still a mystery to Matthew. Young readers will recognize this puzzled child's analysis of an age-old mystery.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX