PENCIL & ERASER

Can Pencil and Eraser’s friendship stretch to accommodate a third pal?

Pencil’s wavering attempts to draw a castle wall are interrupted by Ruler’s offer to help. Pencil’s grateful, though Eraser’s uncertain, especially when Ruler unwittingly makes him unnecessary—who needs an eraser when a ruler’s on hand to help draw straight lines? Still, he joins in their joint quest to find a missing green crayon. (Alert readers will have spotted it early on near Stella, the school supplies’ curly-haired, brown-skinned owner.) Throughout, Eraser offers commonsense correctives to the well-meant but not well-thought-out impulses of the other two. In keeping with Pencil’s medieval obsession, she proposes making a catapult and, with both flattery and force, propels reluctant Eraser to the vantage point of some old chewing gum stuck on the ceiling. Challenges ensue as Alvarado underscores her point: Teamwork makes the dream work. And Ruler learns that being “perfect” isn’t required for acceptance. Once again, this lively adventure is divided among four brief well-paced chapters, with clearly defined characters, simple cartoon illustrations, and brisk, on-point dialogue. “Joke Break!” sections between chapters keep the laughs coming.

Sticky social situations are easy to see and solve in this amusing series, perfect for beginning readers.