Baloney and friends Dream big!

Gr 1--3--This variety show of an early reader comics is big on laughs across all four of its leads. Each comic plays on their different personalities. In one story, Bizz is the only character not upset at negative reviews of their last book. In another, the cranky Krabbit makes a series of unfair money trades with the trusting Peanut that later backfire. The point of view shifts according to each story, especially when Bizz the bee's relatively tiny face takes up entire panels. Everyone earns a laugh, as in the football story where all four leads cheer for a touchdown after Krabbit rants about sports. A particularly sweet story has to do with combining painted portraits in order to "complete" them. The resulting range of art styles is a nice touch from Pizzoli. The back matter includes a guide to folding and cutting a sheet of paper to make a mini book. VERDICT Early readers' laughs will be as big as Baloney and his friends' dreams from one scene to the next n this newbie-friendly variety show.