[close] Whether she's knocking over her juice, dripping yellow paint on the carpet, or ripping apart feather pillows, Harriet Harris is, well, pesky. She certainly doesn't mean to be. And she's always very sorry for her behavior afterwards. Her mother doesn't like to yell, so instead she reprimands her with a gentle "Harriet, my darling child." But as Harriet's shenanigans escalate, so does her long-suffering mom's blood pressure. It looks like one more mishap will put her over the edge. And when that edge is reached, Harriet's mother yells. She yells and yells and yells.

Readers on both sides of the family battlefield will wholeheartedly identify with the oh-so-real experiences of Harriet and her mom. Sometimes accidents just happen, and sometimes yelling just happens. But even when family members make mistakes, they still love each other, as these two prove when they start laughing and cleaning up the big feathery mess after the apologies and hugs. Mem Fox is an internationally known literary consultant and author of many picture books, including Boo to a Goose and Sleepy Bears. Marla Frazee's pictures are exactly right: Harriet's unruly hair and guileless expressions perfectly capture the soul of a 4- or 5-year-old. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter