THAT CRAZY BARB’RA

Remember when that kid in your third-grade class kept bothering you and your teacher said it was because he liked you? That’s the story here—a boy named Hubert Clumpty complains that “Crazy Barb’ra” won’t leave him alone (“She’s got the desk behind me, / She pokes me with her toes. / And every time I turn around, / She wrinkles up her nose”). The rhymed verse has a nostalgic feel that’s probably more appealing to adults than children, though young readers will recognize the elementary school scenario. According to the jacket, the story was originally presented as a live performance and later a song on the Danny Kaye children’s album Mommy Gimme a Drinka Water. Here, it’s dressed up by hand-lettered text and Karas’s always-delightful signature illustrations. (Picture book. 6-9)