PRINCESS PISTACHIO AND MAURICE THE MAGNIFICENT

Irrepressible Princess Pistachio is back in all her enthusiastic glory.

Her dog, Dog, is perfectly content to spend his days sleeping on his cushion. He snorts, grunts, and occasionally pulls himself up only to lie down again. He is certainly not interested in playing games or doing anything that involves effort. Redheaded, freckle-faced, white Pistachio is worried that he is suffering from boredom. Since she is not one to accept anything ordinary, she is determined to get some excitement into his life. As usual, she plunges headlong into her project. Even after a hilarious but rather disastrous Show and Tell, Pistachio refuses to give up. A sign advertising an audition for a “talented, intelligent, beautiful dog” gives her new hope. Of course Dog’s sleeping ability wins the day, and he becomes a star, renamed Maurice the Magnificent. Pistachio loves the attention and neglects her best friend, brown-skinned Madeline, who is reduced to drastic measures to get Pistachio to remember that friendship. Gay’s easy, breezy syntax is wonderfully descriptive even as it skillfully addresses life lessons about friendship, self-involvement, and forgiveness. The cast of characters is eccentric and diverse, and teacher Mr. Grumblebrain’s name is wonderfully inventive. Ink, watercolor, and colored-pencil illustrations are full of life and humor, perfectly complementing the action.

Breathless, laugh-out-loud fun.