YOKO

The first graders in Mrs. Jenkins’s room are quick to criticize the sushi, seaweed, and red bean ice cream that fill Yoko’s willow-covered cooler. Even Mrs. Jenkins’s brainstorm, to hold an International Food Day at Hilltop School, fails to entice anyone to try the deluxe sushi Yoko brings. It is ever-hungry Timothy who samples these Japanese treats, setting the stage for culinary experimentation. As always, Wells’s unerring sense of how children think and feel shines through. The lesson might have been labored; instead, Wells offers some trusty guidance and a light touch, and leaves the conclusions to readers. (Picture book. 3-7)