Peach and Plum Rule at school!

Gr 1--3--School is in session at Fruitdale Elementary for the rhyming best friends Peach and Plum in this series sequel. The duo and their classmates find themselves in many relatable situations, like adjusting to a substitute teacher, looking for lost objects, and dealing with stage fright. The emphasis on rhyming within the graphic novel adds pop to an engaging and well-paced reading experience. Brightly colored artwork and goofy characters make for a visual treat that goes down sweet. A wide variety of fruits (ranging from apple, lemon, and peach to persimmon, guava, and fig) are represented within the book. This title can be read as a standalone. VERDICT A berry good pick for emerging readers who enjoy a good rhyme, anytime. Recommended for public and school libraries.

Best friends Peach and Plum face familiar school experiences and challenges together. The first few pages of this graphic novel show the anthropomorphic fruit pair arriving at Fruitdale Elementary, introducing themselves and their school, and letting readers know what to expect: "We're never tardy." "Right on time!" "Oh, by the way, this book's in rhyme." The table of contents, cleverly presented on a school bulletin board, follows; there are five chapters, with half-chapters scattered in between. These short, funny sections are welcoming to beginning readers, and while some might tire of so much rhyme, it may help with developing readers' decoding. The characters' school-themed adventures tread familiar ground, including dealing with a substitute teacher, doing homework, searching for a lost item, going on a field trip, and battling stage fright during a school play. Most pages are brightly colored and have between one and four panels; the characters are drawn with thick black outlines, stick-figure arms and legs, and large, expressive eyes. These elements combine to make the action and emotion easy to follow. Readers need not have read the first Peach and Plum book to understand this one. Perfectly fine for those who like rhyme. (Graphic early reader. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.