MUTTON SOUP

This sheep-in-everyboy’s-clothing returns for a third set of edifying neighborhood encounters: with archrival Mandy Dinkus in a closet (it’s complicated); manners coach Ms. Bottoms; a roller coaster; and the really old, but surprisingly un-scary Stagglemyers. As before, Johnny emerges from each meeting a little wiser—discovering, for instance, that he prefers the Duckie-Go-Round to the roller coaster, and later actually working with Mandy to head off a possible romantic connection between their respective single parents. Separated by recipes—of sorts: “Mutton soup is 100% melted vanilla ice cream with a cherry on top”—Proimos tells each tale in minimally detailed, brightly colored cartoon panels, with dialogue floating in balloons. Think Ricky Ricotta, without the violence. (Easy reader. 6-8)