Clyde

Gr 2-4–Clyde the bear is tired of living in tranquil Cubville, so he sets off for Grizzly City, determined to show the world his “bad” side. He meets a butterfly who wants nothing more than to settle in Cubville. As Clyde guides the creature back to his hometown, he considers that perhaps being mean isn’t as rewarding as he had hoped. Benton relies on bright, eye-catching illustrations, turning to muted tones only when the butterfly shares her story. The short length of the tale, combined with the simple vocabulary, will draw in both robust and emerging readers, and frequent action scenes will compel all readers to keep turning pages. Fans of Dav Pilkey’s “Captain Underpants” will appreciate the cartoon violence and bathroom humor. Clyde makes some questionable choices, including throwing his grandmother in a lake, but in the end it’s clear that he has a good heart. Adults may raise an eyebrow at some of his choices, as well as how the butterfly refers to Clyde as “dog poop,” but they will cheer when Clyde saves the day.