Stanley's store

Welcome to Stanley's grocery store, where Stanley does almost everything: operating the forklift (PEEPPEEPPEEPPEEPPEEP), manning the cash register, and delivering the groceries. Even in this well-run, tidy store, there's a bit of drama from time to time. When Charlie's grocery cart collides with Stanley's precisely stacked display of fruits and vegetables, it sends the produce flying. But all ends well, and soon Stanley goes home for his supper, bath, and bed. Like Lois Lenski's iconic Mr. Small, who enjoyed many jobs during his many-storied career, Stanley finds satisfaction in his work, which changes with each new volume in the series. Written in short sentences and printed in large type, the story maintains an amiable, even tone. Bee's background in design is evident in the artwork, which features bold black lines defining characters, props, and settings within a colorful, orderly world. The pictures offer many opportunities for observation of shapes and colors as well as conversation about what's happening in each scene. A satisfying addition to the Stanley the Hamster series.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2017 Booklist

Toddler-PreS-Stanley, the industrious hamster, invites readers to his grocery store. In addition to the shoppers, engaging animal characters can be seen behind the counter, distributing food items, creating food displays, and checking out customers. The heavily outlined digital illustrations are sharp and clean, with lots of curved lines, which will make them very inviting for young eyes. This technique adds to the friendly and cheerful mood. Among the more noticeable attributes are the bright and vibrant color palette and many geometric shapes. Children will be able to easily point out squares, circles, and rectangles in the depictions of different grocery items, store fixtures, and character features. Describing each employee's responsibility during a typical shopping day, this story shows how employees in an organization work as a team to enable it to function. VERDICT A terrific toddler time choice with loads of appeal for Stanley fans and those new to the series.-Deanna Smith, Mamaroneck Public Library, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.