On My Street

PreS-Gr 2—Meinderts takes readers on a tour of his street, introducing his rather quirky neighbors. Eleven houses total-the final one being his own home that he shares with Fienieg, the book's illustrator. Youngsters meet characters like Lightfingers Louie, a thief who lives in a house that looks like a jail; Charlie Noble, a sailor who lives in a house that looks like a boat; and Merry Maide, a mermaid who lives in a fishbowl with her four fish. Each character is described in a short poem of two rhyming couplets. The verses are simple and sometimes a bit awkward, which might have resulted from the translation. For example, "A dancer lives at number three,/She floats on air just like a bee./On many stages has she danced,/From circus tent to Paris, France!" The illustrations are bright watercolors, each image inviting readers to pause and examine it for the silly little details. A sweet, quick read.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA