Mustache Baby Meets His Match (Mustache Baby)

K-Gr 2--Heos and Ang offer another amusing adventure for Billy, the baby born with a mustache. The intrepid toddler meets his match in a playmate who sports an impressive beard. During an action-packed visit, the boys show off their various talents, trying to prove which of them is the true hero and who should be the sidekick. To Billy's chagrin, Javier continually bests him in every activity, from a magic show to a pretend presidential debate, and then a neck-and-neck race on their trikes. As the boys become more frustrated with each other, Billy's mustache curls into a bad-guy mustache and Javier ends up with a pointy bad-guy beard. In a final competition, they face each other in the wrestling ring. Billy's mother breaks up the match, sending the now-bitter rivals to sulk in separate corners, but she then helps her son realize that sometimes it is better to be the first to apologize. In the end, Mustache Baby and Javier become "pardners." The animated digital illustrations capture the spirit of competition between the children and add much humor. During the debate, Billy bears a striking resemblance to Theodore Roosevelt, while Javier looks like Abraham Lincoln, and from the sidelines, Billy's bemused cat and dog silently observe the youngsters' antics. Children will also appreciate the playful tone of the narrative, which is replete with allusions to the Old West. Pair this title with Yuyi Morales's Nino Wrestles the World (Roaring Brook, 2013), another story about a determined little boy with a big imagination.--Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

Billy, a toddler with an enviable mustache, is used to ruling the roost. So when Baby Javier shows up with a full beard, competitiveness leads to Wild West-worthy dueling: "Billy had never seen such grit. Except when he was looking in the mirror. He intended to prove that he was the true hero, and Javier was just his sidekick." As in Mustache Baby, Heos and Ang are in perfect comedic sync, and the story's hyperbolic twists will keep kids and their parents thoroughly entertained. Ages 4-8. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Mar.)