MARTIN BRIDGE

Martin Bridge is back, in an entirely likable early chapter book written with affection and humor. Two stories continue the series that began with Martin Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! (2005). Martin’s in a pickle in “Relish,” when he goes on his first overnight camping trip with his Junior Badgers. Sharing a cabin room with his friend Alex is a mixed blessing, since Alex is a known prankster—guess who becomes the object of Alex’s slimy prank. Martin gets his revenge, though not exactly as he had planned. “Lightning Bolts,” the more subtle and insightful of the two stories, is about a familiar family conflict: Mr. Bridge wants help fixing the lawnmower, but Martin wants to watch television. It turns out, though, not to be about the lawnmower at all, but the father-son relationship that Martin comes to appreciate. Realistic, everyday situations, likable characters and simple stories written in rich language with solid dialogue and humor will make this a series with endless variations, and readers will eagerly anticipate every new installment. (Fiction. 7-10)