The Great Art Caper by Victoria Jamieson

Class hamster GW and his friends Sunflower and Barry are back! In their latest adventure, they've settled down to become class pets and are peacefully enjoying their quiet nights with puzzles and poetry. GW even has a secret little crush on a girl in his classroom, not that he'd ever admit it though.

GW is thrilled when he hears there's going to be an art competition. Not only will things get a little more exciting, but Carina (the kid in his class) has a special exhibit! But Harriet the evil mouse queen and her minions, not to mention the snake Lucinda, are all waiting for them. Will they make it to the fabled art closet and save the day?

I thought the first title in the series, The Great Pet Escape, was a little stronger and funnier. The animals had more distinct personalities and there were lots of twists and turns. This book was more about GW learning to admit that he has feelings for Carina and giving his friends a chance to show their own strengths. It was still quite funny though, teachers and parents will especially get a kick out of the references to prior Art Incidents.

Jamieson's art continues the cute and colorful theme from her first book. All the rodents have distinct looks, from Harriet's cute pink ears to Sunflower's jaunty flower crown. The art room is a triumph of organization and art supplies and the inventions GW creates are both charming and hilarious.

Verdict: Readers will want to have read the first book before diving into this one; hand the series to kids who like cute and funny and anyone who is nostalgic about Jean Van Leeuwen's Great Cheese Conspiracy series.

ISBN: 9781627791182; Published 2017 by Henry Holt; Purchased for the library