Andy and the Tire

Andy is new in town, and on his first day of school, he makes just one friendFuzzy, the class hamster. After school, he walks rather than taking the bus and, in an empty lot, finds a tire with ""Super Zoom'' printed on it. Andy climbs into the tire, holds on and rolls down the road. Over the next few days, Andy practices riding the tire as one would ride a logrolling along by balancing on top. He gets into several scrapes at home, at his grandma's house, at school and at the Founders' Day Parade. When his parents turn the tire into a swing, Andy finally makes some friends. This unfortunate mix of new-neighborhood angst with the tale of an unusual toy is overlong and a bit forced. But the paintings are pleasing, especially the cover of Andy pondering his problems while sitting in the tire. Ages 4-7. (October)