BELOW YOU WILL FIND A SYNOPSIS AND REVIEWS FOR EACH OF THE BOOKS IN 
THE I.Q. SERIES FROM WALKER BOOKS

I.Q. GOES TO SCHOOL
Written and Illustrated by Mary Ann Fraser
Published by Walker Books 2002

SYNOPSIS
    I.Q. came to Mrs. Furber's class on the first day of school. He loved being in class with the children. But who wants to be class pet when being a student is so much fun? Students get to learn about the alphabet, colors, numbers, and holidays. Students get to go on field trips and perform in plays. But most important, each week Mrs. Furber chooses a student to be Student of the Week. That person gets to sit in a special chair and share things with the class. 
    More than anything, I.Q. wants to be picked for this special honor. He waits and waits. When will it be his turn to be Student of the Week?  

REVIEWS
"This picture book about a rat who longs to be a student instead of the classroom pet is a fun way to acquaint youngsters with a typical kindergarten curriculum....Fraser expertly weaves monthly and seasonal themes throughout the story, and her detailed, colorful scenes of an inviting, stimulating classroom will go a long way toward getting kids excited about school. Preschools and day-care centers, as well as the growing-number of elementary schools that offer programs for incoming kindergartners, will want to add this to their collections."
Booklist 

"Fraser's enthusiasm for children exploring the world is beautifully upheld in all her work.... Month by month, noting the seasons pass, the school activities are clearly detailed in text and illustration and I.Q. takes part in each, including the very traditional Thanksgiving play. December is handled in the currently acceptable manner, showing a few religious practices, albeit mainstream. Fraser's overall handling is tender, totally focused on the development level of the reader, and sensitive to the needs of the young student who will be learning just like I.Q." 
Kirkus Reviews

"The format is clear and appealing--each spread displays the current month in large print together with a small seasonal symbol and describes the activities linked to the month. The book could easily be used to introduce first-time students to the school environment, and will be enjoyed as a gently humorous story."
School Library Journal

"Young readers who find deskwork intimidating will enjoy reading about an amiable mouse who shares their struggles."
Publishers Weekly

I.Q. GOES TO THE LIBRARY
Written and Illustrated by Mary Ann Fraser
Published by Walker Books 2003

SYNOPSIS
    When Mrs. Furber announces that it's Library Week, I.Q. can't be more excited. During his first visit, I.Q. makes the amazing discovery that he can borrow books once he gets his own library card. He wants to take out the funny book that Mrs. Binder, the librarian, reads to the class.  Each day that week, I.Q. has a lot of fun learning about all the different materials and types of books at the library. But I.Q. worries that he'll never be able to find the funny book. And he still needs someone to sign his permission slip for a library card. Will he be able to borrow a book like the other students?

REVIEWS
"A story that might have been didactic is enlivened by cheerful illustrations featuring I.Q. the mouse, presumably a classroom pet. I.Q. is no ordinary rodent; he enjoys story hour along with the human students, and uses the library to get books, just as the kids do. Comedic elements, such as the titles of the books that the diminutive rodent climbs on , add fun for older children who are careful readers, and hints for kids who use the library appear ('Don't get a book by yourself if it's too high on the shelf') appear throughout the book on signs posted by Mrs. Binder, the aptly named librarian. I.Q. participates in all the Library Week activities, until it's time to get a library card. Who will sign as his "Parent/Guardian?" Happily, someone does. A sure bet during National Library Week, but fun anytime."
Booklist 

"Opening and closing with a handful of precious but on-target ground rules---'To keep the books looking new, never mark, draw, cut, or glue' ---this barely disguised tutorial follows a mouse and his human classmates through a week's worth of visits to their school library. I.Q. wants a storybook Mrs. Binder, the librarian, reads on Monday, and on each successive day he gets closer to finding it---meanwhile discovering the fiction, nonfiction, and nonprint sections, making a bookmark, using the online catalogue, and at last getting his own library card. Though tiny, I.Q. attracts no more attention than a child would as he scurries about Fraser's bright. inviting, sometimes realistically disheveled media center. Like Gail Gibbon's Check it Out! (1985) or marc Brown's D.W.'s Library Card (2001), this artfully conveys both the basics of how most libraries are organized, and a sense of why they're the place to be."
Kirkus Reviews

"I.Q. Goes to the Library by Mary Ann Fraser follows the classroom mouse first introduced in I.Q. Goes to School. Here, he is tickled when the librarian reads a funny book to the class. He returns to the library every day in search of the book she read (meanwhile he learns about the different types of books available there). What he really wants is his own library card so he can check out the funny book for himself."
Publishers Weekly

" Fraser's simple story provides a satisfactory overview of the materials and services available in a contemporary school media center. The book's clean layout and design feature nicely understated but loving details such as thematically consistent endpapers and visual storytelling that begins on the title page. Like I.Q., this winning picture book should find a comfortable home in any school or library setting."
School Library Journal

I.Q. IT'S TIME
Written and Illustrated by Mary Ann Fraser
Published by Walker Books 2005

 


SYNOPSIS
    I.Q.'s class is going to have a very busy day. Not only do the students have to do all of their regular work, but they have to prepare the classroom for Parents' Night! Luckily Mrs. Furber is also teaching the students everything about telling time. They learn the difference between the minute hand and the hour hand, how to count by fives, and the number of hours in a day, so they'll be able to keep their eyes on the clock. I.Q. really needs to know how to tell time, since he wants to make a special surprise for the parents. But with recess, lunchtime, and cleanup, the hours are slipping by very quickly. Will I.Q. finish his surprise before 7:00, when Parents' Night begins?

REVIEWS
"Delightful illustrations and wonderftully expressive faces exend the story. A comforting look at what to expect from kindergarten by an already beloved character."  Kirkus Reviews

I.Q. GETS FIT
Written and Illustrated by Mary Ann Fraser
Published by Walker Books 2005

 
SYNOPSIS
    It's going to be an active month in I.Q's classroom--it's Health Month! And when the school announces that those who pass the fitness test will get a gold ribbon, I.Q. knows right away that he wants to win one.

In class Mrs. Furber teaches the students all about eating right, drinking plenty of water, exercising, and getting enough rest. But I.Q. can't run as far as the other students, and he's worried that he won't win a ribbon. Will I.Q.'s hard work pay off as he goes for the gold?

REVIEWS

"I.Q., that lovable mouse, is back, this time helping children learn how to keep fit. At the kickoff assembly for Health Month, the speaker tells students that he will be awarding gold ribbons to everyone who passes the fitness test at the end of the month. I.Q. decides he will be one of them, but his preliminary results don’t exactly stack up to that of the kids. He works hard on his art project, though—a fitness poster—and adds to it each week as he learns more: “Eat a balanced diet,” “stay active,” “drink plenty of water” and “get lots of sleep.” Fraser’s droll illustrations steal the show as I.Q. uses everyday objects as fitness equipment and learns the hard way to follow the rules on his poster. He gets a stomachache after a brownie lunch, and after staying up too late reading, he falls asleep in math and skins his nose at recess. In the end, his results still don’t measure up, but his effort is rewarded with a ribbon for most improved. I.Q. is one determined mouse who will have youngsters cheering for him as they subtly absorb the lesson he’s teaching."  Kirkus Reviews

"I. Q. the mouse, featured in I .Q. It’s Time (2005), is not your everyday class pet. He attends an assembly promoting the Student Fitness Challenge, and determined to pass the fitness test, he begins an exercise program with the help of his classmates. His stats aren’t up to theirs (eight inches in the long jump, one measly pull-up), but through study and experience, I. Q. learns the value of eating a balanced diet, staying active, sleeping well, and drinking plenty of water. The message comes through in the clearly written text and the appealing colored-pencil, gouache, and ink illustrations. The food pyramid appears as a large classroom poster that I. Q. studies while recovering from a brownie-induced stomachache. The endpapers are witty, and the winning image on the jacket gives this picture book pick-me-up appeal." —Booklist

"During Health Month, Mrs. Furber’s students prepare for a Student Fitness Challenge, including the class mouse, I.Q. He is determined to change his junk-food ways and follow a more active path to win a gold ribbon. He makes a chin-up bar from pencils and a jump rope from a shoelace. I.Q.’s determination and pride in achievement, despite temptations, are excellent models for children who may be resistant to improving their own fitness. Fraser has written an uncomplicated but endearing story that touches on all of the basics of a primary-grade health unit: rest and exercise; the new food pyramid and eating balanced meals; drinking lots of water. Using the pet mouse as the main character makes an often dry subject more fun and avoids pointing fingers at overweight and unfit children. Illustrations add necessary humorous details to keep readers interested. There is a dearth of picture books on this timely topic, and this book fills a need. A good choice for libraries and classrooms".–SLJ, July