In this entry in the First Choice Chapter Book series, Willie is the reigning knock-knock king. Last year he knew all the best jokes. This year, though, Crow threatens to usurp his title. Willie isn't worried, for he has a secret weapon--a book of knock-knock jokes. But when he opens his backpack, the book is missing. What has Crow done with it? Crow will only talk in jokes, so most of the communication comes in the form of knock- knock variations, including the clues he leaves as to the book's whereabouts. On the last day of camp, Willie and his friend Slug piece together the clues' common thread--the word trunk--and find the book on top of a neatly folded stack of clean clothes in Willie's footlocker. That means Willie hasn't changed clothes all week, so everybody pitches in to get them dirty before his mother arrives. This is a lightweight work from Duffey (Virtual Cody, p. 799, etc.), but it's neatly plotted and cleverly written. The full-color cartoons provide visual clues for readers and help further smooth the path to independent reading. (Fiction. 6-8)
