Clementine & Mungo,Used

From School Library Journal PreSchoolGrade 1Spare text and quiet humor make this story an irresistible storytime choice. Mungo may think that Clementine is wise, but readers soon know the truth, as each of her answers to her brother's questions is anything but. How do cats get cool? They take off their coats. Why are there stars at night? A blanket with starshaped holes is thrown over the night sky. Portrayed as piglike animals, the siblings do not appear to be very appealing, but their personalities more than make up for their looks. When nighttime arrives and Clementine's veneer of bigsister wisdom is worn down by her nervousness in the dark, Mungo is there to comfort her. The color illustrations are as economical as the text with the siblings often shown with a minimum of background. Short but sweet, this lovely readaloud pairs well with such triedandtrue duos as Max and Ruby, George and Martha, or Celeste and Ernestine.Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Product Description Clementine is Mungo's big sister, and she knows a lot of things. When Mungo asks her how cats stay cool in the summer, she replies that they simply take their coats off when they get too hot. When Mungo asks why leaves turn colors in the fall and how bathwater comes out of the faucet piping hot, Clementine has perfectly reasonable answers to those questions as well. But when the lights go out and darkness creeps in, Clementine isn't so confident. She quietly asks her little brother, "At night, when it gets very dark, why do you not get scared, Mungo?" And with the straightforward and heartfelt manner of all small children, Mungo is able to comfort and reassure his big sister before they fall into a peaceful sleep. From Booklist PreSGr. 1. Dyer gets the sibling relationship just right in this story about a youngster who thinks his older sister knows it all. When Mungo asks Clementine a question, she always has an answer. "How do cats stay cool in summer?" They unzip their fur coats. Painters change leaves from green to red, and a dragon living in the pipes keeps the water warm. Mungo takes all this on faith, never doubting his big sister. Finally, Clementine has a question for Mungo: "At night, when it gets very dark, why don't you get scared?" The answer warms the heart: "Because I know you are always there for me, Clementine." Clementine and Mungo are two little monster children. Drawn simply in penandwatercolor, they are endearing in their way, but their sharp teeth and pointy ears are distracting, too. Still, the uncluttered design provides a very appealing format in which their relationship plays out. This is especially true when Mungo asks about the stars. Clementine tells him, "A huge blanket with starshaped holes is pulled across the sky." The accompanying doublepage spread shows a nighttime black blanket pierced with colored stars, its fringed corner lifted to reveal the sister and brother. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved About the Author This is Sarah Dyer's first book for children and it has already been an international success with eight foreignlanguage deals secured before publication. She recently completed her BA in illustration at Kingston University, where Five Little Fiends began as a project in her second year. Sarah has always lived by the sea and for holidays she goes back to see her mum, dad, two cats and her brother. She now lives in London, England.