Booklist - 02/01/2009 When her second-grade class studies poetry, Gooney Bird bolsters her creativity by wearing a pair of frilly underpants on her head. (It’s my two-ponytail hat.) Meanwhile, teacher Mrs. Pidgeon reads aloud short poems written long ago by her mother, Mrs. X, who got to know the children in Gooney Bird and the Room Mother (2005). As the current story begins, Mrs. X is in a nursing home, and at the end, she dies. The children’s response to their beloved teacher’s loss climaxes in a heartwarming scene that pulls the story together in a meaningful way. A full-page drawing in each chapter reflects the action and the tone of the text. Few beginning chapter books have the range of this one, from hilarity to sadness, from outrage to compassion, and few writers could manage it with such finesse. Often amusing and sometimes subtly instructive, the fourth book in the Gooney Bird Greene series is well suited to reading aloud. - Copyright 2009 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2009 Gr 2–4— Gooney Bird Greene is back with her classmates for more fun. It's January, and the second grader has begun wearing a "two-ponytail hat" fashioned out of a pair of ruffled green underpants to keep her brain warm. Her outrageous behavior is endearing, and the support of her classmates is heartwarming. Throughout the winter the students of Mrs. Pidgeon's class think about poetry, and their teacher reminds them, "Poetry is not to be judged. You just savor it." She shares poems written by her own mother, Mrs. X. As the children learn the difference between haiku, limericks, and couplets, Mrs. Pidgeon is dealing with more personal issues. When her mother dies, the students, led by Gooney Bird, create the most memorable poem ever. The story unfolds with fresh humor that keeps readers interested. Thomas's pencil drawings bring life to the characters. A fine selection for beginning chapter-book readers and as a read-aloud.—Bethany A. Lafferty, Las Vegas-Clark County Library, NV - Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.