Stanley, Flat Again!

March 1, 2003
Youngsters will welcome the return of favorite characters in an array of beginning chapter books. Stanley Lambchop deflates once more in Stanley, Flat Again, the sixth title in the series by Jeff Brown, illus. by Scott Nash. Whereas the hero flew as a kite in Flat Stanley, here he serves as a spinnaker to win a sailboat race. When a building collapses, he slips beneath the wreckage to save a classmate just before it tumbles down. A paperback version of Flat Stanley, also with illustrations by Nash, is being released simultaneously.

March 1, 2003
Gr 2-4-Stanley Lambchop returns for another adventure that began in Flat Stanley (1964) and continued in Stanley and the Magic Lamp (1996) and Invisible Stanley (1996, all HarperCollins). Stanley has become flat again, and when his little brother tries to inflate him with a basketball pump, it hurts too much to continue. In the episodic plot, the boy is diagnosed by Dr. Dan, participates as a sail in a sailboat race, and executes a dangerous rescue in a collapsed building that only he in his flatness can attempt. Perky black-and-white cartoon art continues the humorous, upbeat tone set by the text. Given the appeal of this popular character, Stanley will expand early chapter-book collections.-Debbie Stewart, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2003
Gr. 2-4. Stanley Lambchop, hero of "Flat Stanley "(1964) and its sequels, returns here for a sixth adventure. Brother Arthur pelts Stanley with a tennis ball, causing Stanley to bump against a shelf and suddenly deflate again. This time the bicycle pump doesn't reverse his condition. Despite his altered physique, Stanley tries to live a normal life, and he discovers that his condition actually has some advantages; he acts as a human sail during a boat race and rescues a rude classmate from a collapsed building. Nash's frequent black-and-white illustrations extend the story's humor and help to break up the text for newly independent readers. Short chapters and large print add to the book's appeal, making this a good choice for a first chapter book, especially for Stanley fans and those familiar with the Flat Stanley literacy project. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)