Jessica has always been a worrier, and learning about fire safety is making her more nervous than ever. But our favorite worrywart is about to discover that knowing what to do in an emergency is the best (and only) way to extinguish her fire-safety fears! Little Jessica worries about everything: waking up in time for school, filling her dog's water dish, learning new steps in ballet, doing her spelling homework (she's not even sure how to spell "worry"--"Wurry"? "Werry"? "Worry"?). But now her teacher, Mr. Martin, has given her something new to fret about: It's Fire Prevention Week, and her class has to present what they're learning to the entire school. "'Oh, no,' moaned Jessica." Author Margery Cuyler and illustrator Arthur Howard helped Jessica through her last tight spot in 100th Day Worries , and you can bet they'll see her through again--but not, of course, without a lot of hair-pulling. As the week passes, Jessica learns how to keep her home and family safe--"Smoke alarms! Sprinklers! Jessica had never seen either in her house"--and proceeds to pester everyone at the dinner table to get on the ball, planning escape routes and installing smoke detectors. But then Mr. Martin piles on more: rules about space heaters and matches and extension cords ("She'd never be able to remember so many things!"). But the real test comes when she has to memorize the biggest rule of them all, what to do if you catch fire--" Catch fire! Jessica had never been so worried in her life"--which she then has to demonstrate for the entire school! How can she possibly remember? "Flop, mop, and stroll? Stop, pop, and hole?" Only time will tell for this young worrywart, but readers will have fun finding out whether her memory fails her--and, of course, learn quite a bit about fire safety along the way. A fun and useful book, but be warned: if you're hoping to avoid an obnoxious inquisition at the dinner table, make sure you test your smoke alarms before you read this with your kid. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes reS-Gr 2-Jessica, the worrywart from 100th Day Worries (S & S, 2000), is back. This time she is worried about her class's upcoming presentation to the whole school. Throughout Fire Safety Week, the children review such safety rules as never play with matches; have the chimney checked each year before use in the winter; install smoke alarms; and, of course, stop, drop, and roll should clothes catch on fire. Jessica has been selected to demonstrate the technique at the assembly. However, owing to her bad case of nerves, she can't seem to get the words quite right. All's well that ends well, though, and the girl comes through just fine. This book is not as entertaining as the previous title. More instructional than recreational, it will best be used in units on fire safety. The large, cartoon illustrations, done in watercolor and ink, lighten the tone and feature a child with wide, round eyes worrying her way through her life and agonizing over her performance. Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Ages 5-8. Worrywart Jessica, from the popular 100th Day Worries (2000), is back in a second book that may signal a series about Jessica and real-child anxieties. Mr. Martin's class is celebrating Fire Prevention Week, giving Jessica plenty to fret about. She worries about sprinkler systems and smoke alarms, about buying fresh batteries and checking the chimney. But mostly, she worries about demonstrating "stop, drop, and roll" at the school assembly. In the end, she conquers her fears and performs just fine, at the same time humorously driving home basic fire-safety tips for children to follow. Howard's quavering caricatures--the freckle-faced anxious heroine, her concerned and comforting family members, and her faithful dachshund sidekick--are a hoot, adding to the general hilarity. Buy plenty of copies; this is sure to be in demand for fire-safety programs. What will Jessica worry about next? Annie Ayres Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Margery Cuyler has written stories ever since she learned how to write. A children’s book editor and author for more than twenty years, she now devotes most of her time to writing. Her many children's books include 100th Day Worries, illustrated by Arthur Howard, and The Biggest, Best Snowman, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. Margery lives with her family in Princeton, New Jersey, in a house that’s said to be haunted by a ghost! Arthur Howard is the illustrator of the Mr. Putter & Tabby, Gooseberry Park, and Motor Mouse series by Cynthia Rylant; Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl; Noodle & Lou by Liz Garton Scanlon; and his own picture books including My Creepy Valentine , My Dream Dog , and When I Was Five . He lives in New York City.