UH-OH, CLEO

If you want to get an eight-year-old to tell a story, ask him if he has ever been to the emergency room or had an accident. Then settle back and listen to the whole story, from the very beginning. That’s how Cleo tells the gory story of Stitches Saturday. It begins way before the main event, but that only adds to the fun of anticipation. Cleo and her twin, Jack, are part of a family of eight having a regular old Saturday filled with toys and games and little songs from Mom. Things just go better when Mom is humming a little tune and making up the words, even if the words are about stitches. Though the story takes place in modern Winnetka, it has a timeless feel to it. With pen-and-ink illustrations on each spread, lots of white space around the generous font and a universal story including blood and a trip to the ER and comforting parents, this will appeal to new chapter-book readers. Short, sweet and easy-to-read. A sure hit. (Fiction. 5-8)