For her birthday, Emma wants a pet. Because she’s allergic to dogs and cats, she ends up choosing a small lizard called an anole. It’s a highly unsatisfactory choice as far as Emma’s little brother, Max, is concerned. But Max, who longs for a dog, is soon won over by the tiny creature who, he points out, is a lot like he is, because they were both adopted by Emma’s family. Jean Little’s third short, easy-to-read chapter book about Emma manages to feature a fairly substantial story told in relatively few words. Jennifer Plecas created the full-color illustrations, as she did for Emma’s Magic Winter (2000) and Emma’s Yucky Brother (2002), also published by HarperCollins. (Ages 4–7)

When Mrs. Byrd tells Gilbert's class that they're going to be doing plays about famous people, Gilbert's heart sinks. Plays make him nervous--what if he forgets his lines? So when he lands the role of George Washington in a play about the cherry tree, he's determined to do it without any mistakes. But when his most important prop goes missing right before the show, Gilbert loses his cool and looks to blame anyone but himself. The seventh story about this most beloved opossum is a wise and funny tale of truth and lies--and butterflies!--that's a perfect tie-in for President's Day, Independence Day, and school units on biography.