Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever

In their third chapter book, Bink and Gollie remain as thick as thieves and just as prone to squabbling. In the first of three stories, Gollie discovers a photograph of a royal distant relative and immediately embraces her newfound regal bloodline ("I have long suspected that royal blood flowed in my veins," she muses), donning a crown, cape, and holier-than-thou expression. She soon learns it can be lonely as queen: when Gollie "regret[s] to inform" pancakes-obsessed Bink that "royalty does not cook for others," Bink replies, "Okay. I regret to inform you that I am going home." In the second tale, Bink's desire to be taller leads her to order a highly dubious "Stretch-o-Matic" machine that promises "dramatic change," and in the third, the girls hatch a scheme to become world-record holders. Readers may recognize some aspects of their own close friendships in Bink and Gollie's odd-couple relationship, but these two remain true originals. As in the previous books, the fresh, wry dialogue and Fucile's witty cartooning are as dynamic a pairing as Bink and Gollie themselves. Ages 6 – 8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Apr.)