Grumpy Gloria
PreSchool-K–In this sweet story, a bulldog feels replaced when her young owner gets a doll for her birthday, and cannot be comforted by the other two children in the family. Unfortunately, the text is composed of singsong rhymes, mostly lists of single words rather than full sentences, which often seem awkward and do not scan well. Charming little vignettes on the endpapers show the canine and the little girl in happier times: Gloria pulls her in a wagon, watches intently as she blows bubbles, and looks content when she is being petted. Throughout the story, the pups expressions exude attitude, but the siblings faces seem a little static even as their body movements capture the action. In several places, the very tops of the childrens heads are cut off, creating visuals that look as if the artist ran out of space. Large illustrations done in rich, bright colors are great for viewing at a distance, and the text, if read aloud, could be given expression. Preschoolers will laugh at Glorias antics and undoubtedly sympathize with her feelings. However, while the authorsLlama, Llama Red Pajama(Viking, 2005) is a surefire winner, this effort is an additional purchase.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.