Queen of Hearts

December 1, 2004
PreS-Gr 2 -The star of Queen of Christmas (2003) and Queen of the Class (2004, both HarperCollins) is back for one of her favorite holidays. Ann Estelle's class is decorating boxes to hold their valentines, and she does not want hers to be ordinary. She gets so involved in making her box unique that she forgets to make cards for her classmates. Panicked at the last minute, Ann Estelle starts giving away pieces of her prized creation-a flower to Gracie, feathers to Audrey Ann, a ribbon for Mrs. McGilligan's hair. At the end of the day, her box is plain again but filled with valentines from her friends. The story is a bit flat, but the illustrations are classic Engelbreit-patchy and full of doodles of color, patterns, hearts, and flowers-and will appeal to crafty children and Ann Estelle fans.-Julie Roach, Malden Public Library, MA

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.