Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
A collection of silly poems with equally silly drawings, Katz aims to teach good manners. In the opening spread kids are told that it is not polite to put their mouths on the waterspout of a drinking fountain. All of the poems are written to be sung to songs--among them are “Polly Wolly Doodle” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.” In addition to the drinking fountain admonition, the book addresses other issues such as boogers, sibling rivalry, how to behave at a party, writing thank-you notes, not talking with food in your mouth, and the like. Catrow has a field day with his illustrations showing kids in their states of messy, bad behavior. A kid pleaser and a book that should instill messages about good behavior without feeling the least bit like a real lesson in proper etiquette from Emily Post. 2006, Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon and Schuster, $15.95. Ages 2 to 8.

Susie Wilde (Children's Literature)
The comic team of writer Alan Katz and illustrator David Catrow collaborate on their third songbook, this time uniting song, laughter, and politeness. Familiar tunes find new meaning in fourteen songs that border on the revolting, with themes like nose picking and talking with your mouth full. Rhyme and humor help children sing and laugh their way into good behavior. 2006, Simon & Schuster, $15.95. Ages 3 to 8.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 18))
Supplying new lyrics for 14 familiar tunes, Katz presents examples of behavior both good and bad, paired with Catrow's characteristic, garishly colored scenes of bulbous headed figures quizzically or gleefully regarding spectacular messes. Covering topics from nose-picking and unfettered sneezing (to the tune "Man On the Flying Trapeze")-"When Pete goes, 'Ah-choo,' / Everybody yells, 'Freeze!' / There's no superglue / Stick-i-er than his sneeze / the worst part is, he always sneezes in threes / No wonder the town moved away!"-to writing timely thank-you notes and putting a sock in it while at the library, the entries will induce hilarity (and who knows, maybe even a little contrition) whether read (sung) aloud or silently. Like Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs series, illustrated by Mark Teague, think of this as required reading for Goops-young or otherwise. 2006, McElderry, 32p, $15.95. Category: Picture book/poetry. Ages 6 to 9. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Leta Tillman (The Lorgnette-Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 19, No. 4))
Fourteen zany songs about manners make up this cleverly put together book. The reader will be entertained by the silly words put to well-known tunes and at the same time learn good manners lessons to boot. Students will learn about lateness, table manners, sneezing, nose picking, and the ever-important being quiet in the library. Each song suggests a tune to use to sing the lesson. Included are “Michael Row the Boat Ashore,” “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” and “The Blue Tail Fly.” Hopefully, when students are tempted to chew their gun in the wrong places, they will remember the words to the song, “Don’t Chew Gum in the Classroom.” The watercolor, colored pencil, and ink drawings are cartoon in nature and will attract attention of the younger child. The amusing, energetic characters leap across the pages and provide the humor needed for this age group’s attention. Some adults may not share the same humor, but most of them already know the rules of being polite. This will make a great addition to a collection of manners books. Nonfiction. Grades K-3. 2006, McElderry Books, Unpaged., $15.95.