Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Plants! (Gilbert Goes Green)

DeGroat's recurring opossum character Gilbert is frustrated that he can't come up with a poem about spring or a project topic for Earth Day—especially since the other kids already have their ideas, like turning out lights and riding bikes. But his anxiety turns to inspiration when he finds that what he was looking for was in front of him the whole time, and he creates a presentation that satisfies both assignments. DeGroat's gestural animal characters genuinely convey common anxieties and classroom dynamics, and the green message is clear without being saccharine. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)