Gr. 1but kids tease him for his lack of skill in playing ball. Yet as Oliver discovers, Albert is willing to learn, and he also has much to teach and share. Together, the two learn the power of teamwork and the joys and rewards of friendship. This title in the Dial Easy-to-Read series illustrates the importance of appreciating and respecting differences, as well as the idea that true friendship goes beyond having fun. The positive message is well conveyed using familiar situations, simple sentences, large type, and basic vocabulary. Colorful illustrations provide visual and explain the story as they offer newer readers a break from the text. Children will like bespectacled, endearing Albert, who loves to learn and never gives up trying. An entertaining story. --Shelle Rosenfeld

Oliver Pig and his little sister, Amanda, have been staples of the easy-reader shelves for over a decade, with simple but satisfying stories in school and family settings. Van Leeuwen and Schweninger (Oliver and Amanda and the Big Snow, 1995, etc.) have already introduced Amanda’s best friend, Lollipop, and now it’s Oliver’s turn to explore the ups and downs of best friends in the elementary-school world. Albert is the new kid in class, a tall, precocious pig with glasses who is a wiz at identifying insects, but a failure on the kickball field. Oliver helps Albert with his kicking and catching skills and Albert helps Oliver learn about bugs. Albert’s interest in insects inspires questions and research in his class, including a bug zoo for all the pigs to observe. Teachers and parents will appreciate the integration of beginning scientific inquiry into the story as Albert and Oliver think of their own questions about insects and then find the answers themselves at the school library. A rewarding choice for new readers, with a gentle lesson about accepting help from a friend. (Easy reader. 4-8)

PreS-Gr 2-A sweet and simple beginning chapter book about friendship. Albert, a little pig who wears glasses and checkered overalls, is the new boy at school. At recess, he proves that he is not very good at kickball, and some of the children make fun of him. However, a mutual interest in insects helps him to start up a friendship with Oliver. As their relationship develops, the two grow closer, help one another learn new things, experience their first fight, and then make peace. The plot is somewhat predictable, but the story is easy to read and emphasizes the importance of being a good friend. Done in carbon pencil, colored pencils, and watercolor washes, the artwork depicts a cast of pig characters all in the same shade of pink. The pictures spill playfully from their black-lined borders and have an appealing, childlike quality. A good choice for new readers and fans of the other books about Oliver and Amanda Pig.-Leslie S. Hilverding, Schuster Elementary School, El Paso, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Primary) Albert, the new boy in Oliver's class, is a little outside the mainstream: as tall as a third grader, he knows all the answers to the teacher's questions (he even knows how to read!), but he's terrible at kickball, and he ""runs like a turkey."" But Oliver coaches him in sports, and Albert introduces Oliver to the fascinating world of bugs. Before long (four chapters, in fact), Oliver and Albert are fast friends. Ann Schweninger's exuberant illustrations extend the text, gleefully indicating that bugs are not the only thing these two have in common: both have a penchant for outlandish clothes. Another gentle and enjoyable entry in the Oliver and Amanda Pig series. m.v.p. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.