Readers who loved the fearful second-grader in his debut appearance in Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things will rejoice at the return of the self-proclaimed phobic: "I was born scared, and I am still scared." (Familiarity with the first book is not, however, necessary for the enjoyment of this title.) Among the things that send Alvin into a panic are the great outdoors, wild animals, dark places, and the possibility of natural disasters. So when his dad suggests a weekend camping trip, our hero naturally imagines the worst. (He makes a list entitled How to Avoid a Bear Attack: 1. Don't go camping. 2. Don't go anywhere near a camp. 3. Don't even THINK of camping.) With a little help--and a lot of advice--from his classmates, resourceful older brother, spunky little sister, and favorite Uncle Dennis, Alvin prepares for every potential mishap. Black-and-white drawings by LeUyen Pham perfectly capture the humorous tone of the story. Facial expressions are spot-on, and there are delightful extras: for example, a thundercloud with an eye characterizes Alvin's reaction to the concept of the eye of a storm. Kids with their own fears with empathize with--and be inspired by--Alvin's jitters and his efforts to overcome them. It bears repeating that anyone who hasn't read the first book will have no trouble following the story, and will definitely want to read about Alvin's earlier adventures. A treasure!170 pages. Recommended for ages 7-10 Recommended by Barbara Karp, Librarian
