Amelia Bedelia (by Peggy Parish)

Poor Amelia Bedelia! She thinks dressing a chicken means putting clothes on it instead of sauce! Children never fail to laugh over Amelia's blunders, making her a perennial early-reader favorite. Parents may weary of the Amelia Bedeliaseries, especially as many of the gender roles are stereotyped and the vocabulary and setting are outdated. But children return to Amelia Bedelia again and again because she makes them feel smart: They can read the text's straightforward vocabulary and are more clever than Amelia.

The artwork is simple and eye-catching. Amelia's expression is cheerful and hardly ever worried. The illustration of Amelia with a basket full of light bulbs, hanging them on the line, is delightful.