Zip, Zip...Homework
Kindergarten-Grade 2—Poydar once again tells a school story with a recognizable predicament. Delighted with her jazzy new pack on wheels and thrilled that she can finally put it to good use, Violet accepts her first homework assignment as though it were an offering from on high. But after insisting that her entire household accommodate her need for quiet, she is horrified to discover that the homework sheet is not in any of the compartments of her zippy pack. She proceeds to tell her mother that her work has been completed, but this lie escalates into others the following day. The girl's teacher gently extricates her from the unmanageable situation and turns it into a teachable moment about the value of telling the truth. Poydar's charming illustrations are bright and upbeat, and the repetition of certain sounds—"zip," "snap," "stick," "click"—will make this a catchy read-aloud. For discussions about honesty, combine this story with Patricia C. McKissack'sThe Honest-to-Goodness Truth(S & S, 2000).—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.