Issue #0

Mrs. Toggle's Zipper

Plot

PreSchool-Grade 2-- To readers or listeners who can accept the premise that a teacher would believe she could be pulled out of a zipped-up winter coat by having her students, the nurse, and the principal tug on her arms, legs, and head, this book may be mildly funny. Making the situational humor rather heavy and obvious are the names--the nitwit nurse is Mrs. Schott; the fussy principal is Mr. Stickler; and the calm custodian, who solves the problem with his needle-nose pliers, is Mr. Abel. A lively writing style; funny, action-filled illustrations in an interesting variety of sizes and arrangements; and a crisp, clear typeface help redeem the improbable plot. Bright watercolors of Mrs. Toggle show her trapped in her fuschia padded jacket and trailed by her anxious class as she is lectured and tossed about by would-be rescuers who exhibit a cheerful cartoonlike charm. The multiethnic children and the adults are all winningly diminutive, round, and animated, resulting in a satisfactory visual experience. --Patricia Pearl, First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA.