In this early chapter book, Harry falls in love with Song Lee, when she brings her water frog to school. Harry's friend Doug is horrified by this turn of events. At first, Song Lee does not have the same feelings for Harry, but as the story progresses Song Lee's feelings change and Doug thinks that things go from bad to worse. The story line in this book is entertaining and the dialog is funny and witty. Throw in Sidney, who is a bit of a prankster, and this is a book that children will enjoy reading again and again.

This book and others in the series would be good books to have in the classroom for independent reading time to help children with the fluency and reading stamina. These are mostly lighthearted books, but there are some areas where the plot exposes deeper issues, such as divorce and being aware of other people's feelings and emotions. I like that these deeper subjects are included in the text without feeling preachy. This might be a good avenue for students to make personal connections to the book and reflect on the deeper topics without feeling vulnerable. ( )