No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks! (Gilbert)

K-Gr. 2. In this ninth installment in the popular Gilbert and Friends series, opossum Gilbert and his classmates (assorted animals in children's clothing) look forward to graduating from first grade. Gilbert is anxious about the award ceremony--he wonders if he has a talent worthy of recognition. Even though Lewis, the class funny man, informs him that everyone gets an award, Gilbert isn't entirely convinced. Then Gilbert saves the day during a tense moment at the ceremony, which proves that he is, indeed, deserving of the award he eventually receives. Although this entry may not be as tension-filled as some of the other titles in the series, the bright, cheery watercolor illustrations, with their sizeable cast of lovable, expressive characters, will draw youngsters into Gilbert's comfortable small-town suburban environment. Gilbert's fans will look forward to more first-grade adventures with the opossum, or, perhaps, following a more mature Gilbert as he and his friends continue their escapades in second grade. Randall Enos
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