With charming illustrations full of funny details, this book tells a classic story about friendship and the power of positive thinking. Full color. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

PreS-Gr 2-Mortimer is one careful koala. He will not eat cauliflower because he always has bad luck the following day. When he is invited to supper at his friend Sadie's house, he says no to her delicious stew because the vegetable is one of the ingredients. Then, after she coaxes him into trying it, the inevitable happens. The next morning he stubs his toe, spills juice on himself, and fails his driving test. When he meets Sadie at the grocery store, he tells her his sad story. At dinner, he enjoys her "vegetable surprise casserole" and spends the next day having a terrific time at the fair. As he and his friend prepare for an evening out, she reveals the name of the surprise ingredient. This gentle story is told with humor and creativity, and the watercolor-and-pencil cartoon illustrations extend the charming text. Many of the animal neighbors have all-too-human expressions, the indoor and outdoor scenes are warm and whimsical, and the picture of the plumber duck diving into Mortimer's toilet to retrieve a bar of soap is likely to evoke a lively response. Kids will be taken with this title.-Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

PreS-Gr. 2. Mortimer the koala is delighted to join his friend Sadie the ostrich for supper . . . until he sees the cauliflower in the stew. The problem isn't the vegetable's taste; it's the bad luck he's convinced it brings. "That's nonsense," Sadie says, and Mortimer relents, polishing off several bowls. The next day brings one disaster after another, from a stubbed toe to a car accident, and Mortimer is convinced it's the cauliflower's bad juju at work. Then Sadie serves a delicious "vegetable surprise" casserole for dinner. The following day is a sheer delight, and Mortimer is astonished to learn that the "surprise" in Sadie's casserole is "that horrid vegetable." Sutton's humorous story about overcoming superstitions is expanded by Harris' watercolor-and-pencil illustrations that are filled with whimsical details--Sadie's charming houseboat, Mortimer's cozy tree house, and the tiny mouse that appears on every page. Children will chuckle over Mortimer's folly, even as they recognize familiar anxieties. For more picture books about young worrywarts, suggest Kevin Henkes' Wemberley Worried0 (2000) and Helen Lester's Something Might Happen0 (2003). --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2006 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.