Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus

Though his hair recalls Conan O'Brien, first-time school bus rider Kyle's anxiety-ridden narration is straight out of A Christmas Story. Kyle is scared to ride the bus and is relying on his brother's rules for survival. Playing up Kyle's reference to a TV nature show, Austin's faux-menacing acrylics imbue the riders and setting with animalistic qualities. Kyle (who briefly becomes a zebra among lions) breaks several rules, talking both to a bully (a grizzly bear) and to a girl. But by day's end, Kyle has developed a rule of his own: sometimes it's good to take a sibling's advice with a grain of salt. Ages 5–8. (July)