Friendly frenzy

K-Gr 3--Fly Guy and Fly Girl and their human friends are back for a new action-packed adventure. When Buzz and Liz meet Carlos at the park they look forward to making a new friend and having a new friend for their flies as well; Carlos has also brought his pet. A fun outing turns into a quest for survival as Carlos's pet is a lizard named Annie with a taste for flies! The two fly friends have to use all their wits and skills to avoid becoming a snack for Annie. VERDICT Full of the humor and action that emerging readers have come to expect from this series, this is a solid purchase.--John Scott, formerly Friends Sch. of Baltimore

It looks like curtainzzz for Fly Guy and Fly Girl when their pet humans' new friend comes with a lizard. New arrival Carlos' small green pet, Annie, seems harmless enough--cute, even--but "LIZ-Z-ZARD!" and "EATZ FLYZZ!" explain terrified Fly Guy and Fly Girl to readers who might not be in the know. It seems that Carlos isn't in the know either, as he explains to Buzz and Liz that their buzzy companions aren't in danger because he feeds Annie on maggots. Uh oh. Even as horrified Buzz and Liz fill Carlos in on what maggots are, a brisk chase is underway elsewhere with slapstick worthy of Looney Tunes. The flies put up a stout defense against their pursuer, zipping out of her way and lifting her by the tail from a branch before letting her fall with a comical splat. They have a final face-off in a can full of rotting garbage. Happily, Annie turns out to be fonder of soggy fries than flies, and by the end prey and predator have become "friendzzies!" In the cartoon illustrations Fly Girl is pink and has a bow fastened to one antenna, but Annie shows no such gendered markers, and all three children have the same slightly toned light skin. Not a reliable guide to pet care (or, for that matter, friendship)--but a typically buzzy series outing nonetheless. (Early reader. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.