Randall announces he is a big boy now and does not need to have Mr. Pigglesworth accompany him to bed. However, when he cannot sleep, Randall wanders downstairs to retrieve his stuffed pig. And that is when he spies the burglar. In STOP THIEF Adam J.B. Lane (roaring Brook, May 2012) sends us along as Randall chases the thief under the stars, through an amusement park and a museum, and headlong into danger. Of course, it is all in fun as the illustrations contain some clues to how the story will unfold. <115>





KNUCKLE AND POTTY DESTROY HAPPY WORLD by James Proimos (Holt, May 2012) is not only loads of fun to read, there is much to mine here as well in terms of metafiction. Knuckle and Potty are tired of being wimpy characters in an insipid series of books written by Deli Cruz. They are just too precious and they want a word, especially with the illustrator, that we want to look a bit less cuddly and a tad more dangerous. They discover a way to travel out of the book world where they are shocked to learn the truth about their author and illustrator. <116>