Always Listen to Your Mother

K-Gr 2—Ernest, the milquetoast protagonist of this quirky tale, is a perfectly obedient son. He cleans, follows the rules, and never has fun—until new neighbors move in next door. Curiously reminiscent of the Munsters, Vlapid and his mother have a different idea of the work it takes to make a house a home. Zany antics like swinging from the chandelier in a red cape made from the drapes ensue, cementing the boys' friendship. Stone's mixed-media illustrations are slightly creepy, especially the characters' faces. However, children will love the details and Vlapid and Ernest's wild antics, which are depicted through a combination of well-placed text and jaunty lines. The juxtaposition of orderly equals boring and chaos equals amusement might irk some adults, but children will delight in a house in which there are no rules. Pair this joyful read-aloud with David Shannon's No, David! (Scholastic, 1998) for a laughter-filled, visual feast of children behaving badly.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA