School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3Mrs. Morgan, the elderly neighbor who first appeared in Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch (Atheneum, 1991), has decided to sell her home and move to a retirement complex. Pinky and Rex are sad that their friend is leaving and worry about who might buy her house. For a time, it appears that a family with a very obnoxious child might be moving in. The two friends discuss the move with Mrs. Morgan and visit her in her new apartment. All ends happily when a different family does at last arrive. As usual, Pinky and Rex's feelings are respectfully explored and addressed. They reminisce over their friendship with their neighbor, bid her a tender farewell, and are comforted to find her settling in at her new residence. The ending may resolve things just a tad too nicely for some readers (the new family includes a friend for both Pinky's sister Amanda, and Rex's baby brother), but it will reassure children facing a move or the move of a friend. Sweet's pleasant watercolors accentuate key moments in the story.Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
When their neighbor Mrs. Morgan moves away, best friends Pinky and Rex are not only sad but also worried; they're convinced that Obnoxious Ollie is moving into Mrs. Morgan's house. Accompanied by cheery watercolors, this latest Pinky and Rex story displays Howe's understanding of the everyday concerns of his characters, including Pinky's little sister and Mrs. Morgan, a senior citizen. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 1^-3. Rex is sad to hear that her neighbor, Mrs. Morgan, is moving away. Watching from behind the bushes as prospective buyers visit the house next door, Rex and Pinky meet Ollie, an obnoxious braggart whose family seems all set to move in. After visiting Mrs. Morgan in her new apartment, they return to Rex's house and find another, much nicer family moving in next door. Seven short chapters set the framework for this satisfying book, which extends the ongoing story of Pinky and Rex's friendship with Mrs. Morgan, a character who adds a special dimension to this popular series. Sweet's ink-and-watercolor illustrations work their quiet charm again, depicting the characters and settings with clarity and warmth. --Carolyn Phelan
