Jake Drake, Know-It-All #2

From School Library Journal Gr 2-4-Fourth-grader Jake Drake looks back on his third-grade science-fair project. Sure, he learned a lot about electromagnets, but he learned even more about the pitfalls of being a know-it-all. It all started when his principal announced the school's first-ever science fair. The plot thickened when a local businessman announced that a computer would be the grand prize. A self-described computer nut, Jake refused to work with his best friend because he didn't want to share the prize. Finally, it came to him that his single-mindedness was turning him into a person he didn't like, and his project wasn't fun. Even though he and his partner took second prize, and thus no computer, Jake valued the experience. He sounds like a regular fourth grader as he describes his teachers and classmates. But he also digs deep to reveal the character-building lessons in everyday events. Full-page, black-and-white drawings show the competitive classmates as they work toward winning the great prize. A cut above the usual beginning chapter book because of its depth, this realistic plot and Jake's personality will seal the deal with transitional readers.