Kids love ALEXANDER, WHO'S NOT (DO YOU HEAR ME? I MEAN IT!) GOING TO MOVE. Adults will too, despite one five-year-old reader's newfound love of the word puke, courtesy of Alexander's brother Nick. Brothers don't always get along--but they do come through in the end--as Nick does when he tells Alexander he can sleep in his room if he's scared at the new house.

Viorst cleverly shows how Alexander comes around to reality. Still, it's important that he does so on his own terms and not before considering the alternatives: living with neighbors who always wanted a son, staying with a couple who has the dog Alexander always wanted, even living in a tree house or a cave. Sadness, anger, and denial come before acceptance. And it's good for readers to know that these feelings are normal and okay. It's even better that they're expressed with understanding and humor.

Glasser's black-and-white illustrations capture Alexander's emotions. One picture shows a sad Alexander sitting on the bed (in a delightfully messy room) listening to his father explain about the move. Another shows him screaming with rage, declaring, "I'm not--DO YOU HEAR ME? I MEAN IT!--going to move!"

To complete your Alexander library, try Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. And for a glimpse at moving from a dog's perspective, consider Annabelle's Big Move, by Carla Golembe.