Peanut Butter and Homework Sandwiches

Gr 1—3—Martin MacGregor is having a string of bad luck with his strict substitute teacher. No matter how hard he tries, his homework is never handed in clean and on time. The dog eats it, his mom washes it, or the wind blows it away and, as a result, Martin misses recess every day. As the week winds down, his dad encourages him to make up and complete a homework assignment that interests him. Martin had been looking forward to meeting Harriett, his teacher's pet tarantula, so he studies tarantulas, obsessively integrating them into every part of his life, including meals and pet play. When Mr. Elliott returns the next week, Martin is happily surprised (though readers won't be) by the class assignment to study and collect information about tarantulas; the best work will be rewarded with a home visit by Harriett. Though no new ground is broken here, Cook effectively deals with the frustrations of children faced with intractable authority, and Davis's colorful pencil and acrylic cartoon illustrations serve the material well.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC