First review for Abigail Spells

"Abigail, a young chicken, and her best friend, George, a bear, have all kinds of fun together. They like to cha cha, and George enjoys the stories that Abigail tells. But there’s one thing that Abigail does very well all by herself: spell. After Abigail hears about a school spelling bee, all she does is practice spelling. One of the neat things about this book is how it uses every opportunity to show Abigail spelling words—while brushing her teeth, eating her lunch—all of which might get children interested in spelling, too. When the big day comes, though, Abigail’s nerves get the better of her, and with a misspelling of “elephant,” she’s out. She is in a funk, and George despairs, until he tells her a story about two friends. What makes this different from so many happy-enders is that the story recognizes that defeat is part of life. The pictures, executed in acrylics and simple shapes, neatly capture both actions and emotions."

--Booklist