Cesar Takes a Break
Kindergarten-Grade 3—A green iguana who has been left at school during spring break chronicles his escapades in his diary. Without his 25 best friends in Ms. Lee's second grade, Cesar is "a puddle of sadness." Then he discovers other unattended classroom pets, and he relishes tanning under the French fry heat lamp in the cafeteria, playing hockey in the teacher's lounge, and making art in the guinea pig's room. A renegade class-mouse-gone-wild makes Cesar contemplate utter freedom, but minding Peace the turtle's advice, he follows his heart and returns to Ms. Lee's room. Some of Cesar's droll humor and fresh perspectives are interrupted by an unexplained phrase such as "thanks to Daniel's karate kick, I got my own journal and pen." Some forced puns break up the flow as well, as when Cesar encourages hockey players to "give Peace a chance," and later takes Peace to the world (a globe). Rogé's acrylic cartoons emphasize the comedy with bright colors and creative poses. Pair this with Holly Meade'sJohn Willy and Freddy McGee(Marshall Cavendish, 1998) for another tale of escaped pets, this time in the home, or Megan McDonald'sThe Night Iguana Left Home(DK, 1999) to contrast a pet who decides to leave for the wide world.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.