When Kaline's father inexplicably leaves home, the rules disappear, too. Kaline's mother is loving, but lax. She doesn't set the timer when he brushes his teeth, the DO NOT WALK ON GRASS signs look like a wild animal trampled them, and his new school uniform is so big it seems like it was made for another kid. Then, when the car breaks down, Kaline's mother asks their neighbor, Mr. Putnaminski, to give Kaline a ride to school- completely ignoring the very obvious fact that Mr. P. is a stranger! Black-and-white art.
A wide variety of novels and accessible nonfiction for younger elementary readers who love a good story comprise this category of 12 books per year. The focus in these titles is primarily on the text, though some novels may feature illustration.