PreS-Gr 2-In Matty Takes Off, the sweet, overstuffed bear is content living with his equally overstuffed cat. He is particular about his possessions and keeps them tidy and in order. When his sister invites him to visit, he packs up a truckload of things essential for his trip. But the bumpy road loosens the tarp, and by the time he reaches Milly's pink house, his cherished belongings are gone, forcing him to recognize what's really important. In Matty in a Mess, he is still very fussy and tends to put cleaning and chores before play. Milly likes to enjoy life and play first. After an enormous storm and a bump on the head, the bears learn to enjoy both the messiness of play and the cleanliness of completed work. The text placement and movement keep the stories lively and invite reader interest. However, there is a confusing element in these two books. The bears' relationship changes from brother and sister to "two bears who lived together." Simmons's watercolor illustrations are full of personality and warmth. The cool tones in the backgrounds help the cuddly and endearing characters stand out even among their clutter. Individually, these books will be crowd-pleasers, and readers and listeners will take the messages to heart.-Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Deciding to visit his sister Milly, Matty the bear packs his suitcase and takes off in his shiny red truck. After returning home twice to add his duvet, pillow, mattress, and bed, he drives through the countryside, singing so loudly that he doesn't notice all the bedding and other belongings falling off the truck. Illustrating this story from the Matty and Milly series, Simmons' washed pastel scenes make the most of the animal characters and amusing situations. Best of all is the final scene, in which animals along the road find novel uses for Matty's lost items.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist