Trouble at table 5: The candy caper by Tom Watson, illustrated by Marta Kissi

I was excited about the news that Watson was debuting a new beginning chapter book series and this fully lived up to my expectations.

Molly gets things stuck in her head. Like, she has to separate and eat her froot loops by color. And organize her pillows in a certain way. When she gets things stuck in her head, she just HAS to do them, like having to know EXACTLY how many skittles are in Principal Shelton's big glass jar! Luckily her best friends, Simon and Rosie, are happy to help her, even if it means getting into trouble.

They come up with a lot of crazy ideas and try out many wild shenanigans, but will any of them work? Will Molly be able to count and get that idea out of her head or not? A satisfying ending, with a supportive family and a surprisingly funny and non-moralistic conclusion, round off this delightful new beginning chapter series.

There is a lot of diversity here, but in the hands of Tom Watson and illustrator Marta Kissi, it's smoothly blended into the plot and characters and all feels completely natural, as it should. Adults may guess that Molly has some form of OCD, but it isn't named. She and her friends cooperate on various coping mechanisms and even though they might roll their eyes, they're perfectly willing to collect and organize all the leaves before they jump in them. Her teachers and parents have just the right blend of accommodations and challenges for her as well. Molly is biracial, with a white father and darker-skinned, possibly Latinx mother. Her friend Simon is white, her friend Rosie is Black. Her teacher is Black, her principal has slightly darker skin and appears to be Latinx.

Each chapter includes encouragements "look how far you've read!" and at the end there's a congratulatory note on completing the book and three activities, labeled "THINK, FEEL, ACT" to encourage further discussion.

Verdict: My only quibble is the struggle to decide how many to buy and where to put them! Do I buy hardcover and shelve with with Stick Dog? Paperback and with the beginning chapter series? I am leaning towards the latter, especially as I will then be able to purchase multiple copies. I can't wait to use this in book club and get the next books in the series, which promise to feature Simon and Rosie.

ISBN: 9780062953414; Published February 2020 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased two copies in paperback for the library beginning chapter series collection