Iris and Walter and Cousin Howie (Iris and Walter, 6) - Hardcover

ELISSA HADEN GUEST is the award-winning author of the Iris and Walter series. She lives in San Francisco, California.

CHRISTINE DAVENIER is the acclaimed illustrator of many popular children's books, including The First Thing My Mama Told Me by Susan Marie Swanson, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year. She lives in Paris.

Grade 1-3-Another installment in a popular series for beginning readers. Both Iris and Walter are eagerly awaiting Walter's cousin Howie's visit. But when the boy arrives, Iris feels left out. With help from her supportive family and an apologetic Walter, she realizes that their friendship is not threatened. Walter's conflicting feelings about his cousin and his reaction to Iris are clear in his facial expressions. The anticipation of the visit presents an interesting foil to the real Howie, who is not particularly friendly. Both the story and dialogue ring true and clearly capture the characters' feelings, while Davenier's pen-and-ink drawings add just the right amount of energy. A good choice for collections in which the other titles are popular and for children looking for an easy-to-read story about friendship.
Ellen M. Riordan, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD
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