Popcorn Bob Can’t Stop Popping

Gr 1-2–In a picture book outing that spins off from a running theme in his eponymous chapter book debut, mercurial morsel Popcorn Bob offers a set of cooling-down techniques to readers—not just young ones—similarly prone to “pop” at minor provocations. “Relaxing is the most important thing,” he says, and goes on to suggest ways of doing that, from listening to music, making a drawing, counting to 10, sitting in meditation, or finding a sympathetic listener. Savvy advice for coping with distractions (“Empty your head. Breathe in, breathe out. But first make sure you’re NOT hungry”) is likewise helpful. Young Ellis and her dads, human characters from the original story, join the outsized kernel in the illustrations for a festive dinner out on the patio at the end, and when a bug lands on Bob’s pancake the ensuing blast leads to one last bit of wisdom: “it’s no big deal. Sometimes exploding can feel REALLY GREAT! It happens to everyone now and then.”