December 1, 2012
Gr 1-3-It's always fun to welcome back old friends, and the Girl's toys are off on new adventures in the second book (Schwartz + Wade, 2008) in the trilogy by Emily Jenkins. A bossy, melodramatic stuffed stingray, a brave and inventive stuffed buffalo named Lumphy, and an optimistic ball named Plastic are the main toys, but there are others that add to the fun when the Girl is not around. A sheep with hearing problems, the mice, and a new friend who arrives in bubble wrap and gives them all a scare are also there to offer their two cents. Even the washer and dryer are involved! Of course you have to include the non-talking Barbies, who are attracting more and more of the Girl's attention, much to her other toys' distress. In these six charming adventures, the toys have their squabbles, resolve issues, face their fears, and go on risky missions. Sara Barnett narrates the stories with the perfect combination of unique voices, comforting cadences, and childlike wonder. This collection is as warm and cozy as a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day.-"Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA"
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.