Russell Picture Book

From School Library Journal reS-Gr 1-Preschool blahs and sibling rivalry cause Russell to resist morning preparations, so Mom allows him to stay home and be a baby like his sister for a day. Of course, distasteful meals of pablum and mashed bananas, being banned from television and Legos, and general boredom soon convince the boy that his mother is right: "It's fun to be a baby when you are a baby. It's just not so much fun to be a baby when you're a big boy." Maione's cartoon characters cruise through cheerful vignettes; even the mother's initial frustration is low-grade. Hurwitz continues to deliver tales helpful to youngsters and parents managing everyday issues of growing up.