Halfway Hank

Hank A. Mezzomezzo does everything his own way\x97halfway\x97which has its advantages and disadvantages. His big sister Demi considers him \x93weird as weird can be,\x94 but Hank protests: \x93I\x92m not being weird,/ I\x92m only being me.\x94 Text appears in white boxes bordered by geometric patterns, within Davis\x92s (Marsupial Sue) grassy, foliage-filled full-bleed spreads, where freckle-face children with oversized heads, bulbous eyes, protruding ears and toothy smiles loom large. Wearing only half a blindfold, he\x92s \x93a champ at party games,\x94 but when \x93the Wholenut County Hoe-Down/ Days and Olde-Time Barbecue\x94 rolls around, it\x92s quite another story. There his halfway style wreaks havoc on the days\x92 events. Hank guides his tracking team with half a map (they get lost) and when he enters a boat race with half a canoe, his team doesn\x92t stand a chance. His humiliated sister finally tells him to stop participating: \x93You shouldn\x92t even try at all,/ If half is all you\x92ve got!\x94 Ultimately, Hank discovers a way to participate fully, but in his own style. Though some readers may be a bit nonplussed at the contrived ending, Davis\x92s tongue-in-cheek renderings of the shenanigans will keep kids entertained. Ages 4-8. (May)