A worthy sequel to Finchler and O’Malley’s Miss Malarkey Doesn’t Live in Room 10 (1995). Visions of classroom catastrophes dance in Miss Malarkey’s brain when a fever forces her to miss a day of school. Who will Principal Wiggins assign as her substitute? The ferocious Mr. Doberman, whose instructional techniques include intimidation and rigid discipline? Or will it be timorous Mr. Lemonjello, whose nervous twitch and hesitant manner make him an easy target for mischievous pupils? Convinced of impending disaster, she leaps from her sickbed to check on her students and finds a pleasant surprise waiting for her. O’Malley’s artwork, filled with humor and strong on facial expressions, conveys all the anxiety a teacher can muster as she speculates about her absence and its consequences. (Picture book. 5-8)
