Other Sesame Street books: Elmo and His Friends: Brand New Readers Sesame Subjects: My First Book about Farms Sesame Beginnings: It's Naptime, Little One Sesame Street Baby Party! Sesame Street: Baby Play! Sesame Beginnings: Potty Time! Food! by Cookie Monster   Happy Healthy Monsters: Squeaky Clean (All About Hygiene) by Kara McMahon, illustrated by Barry Goldberg Baby-preschool 32 pages Random House May 2006 Hardcover     They’re b-a-a-c-k. Yes, your favorite Sesame Street characters, including Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Baby Bear are reuniting to continue to educate your children. This time the focus is on the importance of basic personal hygiene and staying clean. Ernie, who bathes every day with a washcloth, soap and shampoo, is contrasted with Bert, who is dirty and in need of some personal care. Grover explains the importance of washing your hands throughout the day, using soap and counting to twenty to ensure proper cleansing. Baby Bear talks about the basics of brushing your teeth (taking extra care not to swallow the foam), while Cookie Monster shares his secret of singing the Alphabet Song twice while he brushes, to be sure that the process does not end prematurely. The book is written within the context of a talk show on the Happy Healthy Monsters Network. Elmo sits behind his desk, hosting the program and interviewing such guests as Ernie and Bert, who sit on the couch by his side. The book is presented in a manner comparable to a comic book, where the character’s words are displayed in the dialogue bubbles above their heads. The characters engage in simulated interviews that are interrupted by commercial breaks attempting to sell fictitious shampoos, soaps and hygiene products. For children who may be too young to take charge of their personal hygiene, this book is a great educational tool to provide a sneak peek of upcoming responsibilities. Children may find Cookie Monster’s advice appealing and become willing (or even eager) to try to emulate his daily habits. For those children who are currently resisting such routines, this book may be useful to show them that their parents are not the only people who see the benefits of staying clean, but rather that this goal is shared by their favorite Sesame Street characters. Sesame Street toys and books have been valuable educational tools for decades and Squeaky Clean (All About Hygiene) carries on this tradition. The book weaves guidance on personal hygiene with an entertaining story, making it a wonderful addition to any child’s library.       web reviews   Lori West/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)