Stuck Together
(Pea, Bee, & Jay #1)

Gr 2-4--An unlikely traveler, a tiny pea, rolls away from his farm home after an ill-intentioned dare by a mean strawberry. Due to a brief downpour, he finds himself farther afield than intended, and to make his way home he tentatively enlists the help of a misfit bee and a blue jay who has yet to learn to fly. This small-scale odyssey emphasizes the virtues of unlikely friendship, teamwork, and bravery. Just as Pea's journey begins without any particular rhyme or reason, so, too, does it merrily roll along to a satisfying conclusion. Colorful, cartoonish natural surroundings seen from a pea's-eye view, the antics of the hapless trio bumbling along together, and a heavy dollop of whimsy result in just the ticket for a cozy kid's read. VERDICT Though the text is a little too dense for early elementary schoolers to read on their own, slightly older students will snatch this one up. Funny, punny, fearless, and even corny, Smith is a master wordsmith with an innate sense of what makes children chuckle.--Emilia Packard, Austin, TX

A green pea, a bespectacled honeybee, and a blue jay become fast friends in this lively graphic novel early reader. "No rolling too far from our row," warns Pea's mother, but it's not long before a dare sends Pea on a fast-paced adventure beyond the farm. Smith's cinematic panels capture the action with suspense and style: storm clouds gather in the distance as Pea rolls under the fence and eventually to a stop, lost, beside Bee. Though Bee claims that birds are "the absolute worst," the pair is soon joined by Jay, a flightless lone bluejay. Venturing forth, the trio works together to get past tough-talking acorns, raspberry-blowing raspberries, and a sly, yellow-eyed villain. Puns and jokes abound, making this series opener as silly as it is sincere about friendship's value. Pea, Bee, and Jay may make for unlikely companions, but just like the sandwich, they form an unbeatable team. Publishing simultaneously: Wannabees (Pea, Bee, & Jay #2). Ages 6-10. (Sept.)