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   A frequent visitor to Washington, one of Newsbee’s favorite author/illustrators has a new book out. “Boss Baby,” by Marla Frazee, is a hoot, witty in marvelous Marla style.
   Clad in business attire, striped tie and suit, baby arrives, and rocks his parents’ world. He’s demanding as can be, “He put mom and dad on a round-the-clock schedule, with no time off.”
   The harried parents have to cater to Boss Baby’s every need, 24-7. Attention must be lavished, drinks and baths of spa-quality provided, as well as the most modern of toys. It’s enough to exhaust the most dedicated of caretakers.
   Until one day when a crash occurs. Despite Boss Baby’s urgent cries, his parents don’t respond — they’re simply to pooped to pop. The end result makes for hilarious fun in a Pick adorned with Marla’s art.
Retro drawings in soft pastels perfectly complement a book that’s sure to become another Frazee favorite.

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   Poor Paulie. He has Prudence as a neighbor and she’s a “lunatic.” “Don’t Call Me Pruneface,” by Janet Reed Ahearn is a funny read with laugh-out-loud characters.
   Paulie is a “good boy,” he knows this because his grandmother always tells him so. And Paulie is patient and kind, optimistic and willing to try and find the good in a person, traits he’s modeled from his sweet grandmother who encourages him to be the best he can be.
   But when Prudence moves into the house next door, with her cat Scratch, Paulie stalls out. The girl is mean-spirited and unkind, calls him names and tells Paulie his ideas are “dumb.”
   Paulie gives himself a week to make peace with the girl, and by the end of seven days, he’s at the end of his rope. But hope finally appears like a bright bird, and all is not lost as Paulie once again forgives and forgets, much to his grandmother’s delight.
   Illustrations by Drazen Kozjan bring Paulie’s plight to light and complement a clever book with a message.

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   “The Danger Box,” by Blue Balliett, will captivate adults, as well as young people. The bestselling author has written a superb mystery based on the true story of a lost notebook, written by a famous person in the mid-1800s. The notebook lands in the hands of an unassuming boy with autism and impaired vision.
   Loomy keeps lists, head taps and wears glasses with “Coke-bottle thickness.” The boy lives with his Grandma and Grandpa Ash, who find him as an infant on the back steps of their home. They love him dearly, which is good because he doesn’t get any affection when his deadbeat, alcoholic dad resurfaces, causing Loomy’s “worry crumbs” to gather like an expected snow.
   Loomy’s father has stolen a truck, and discovers a box inside with intriguing contents. He leaves it with Loomy’s grandparents, and vanishes after a nasty altercation.
   Fascinated by the notebook, Loomy tries to discover who wrote it by doing research at the library. There he meets Lorrol, a new friend and budding investigative reporter who’s as determined as Loomy to uncover the mystery.
   Their small-town Michigan adventure makes for great reading you won’t want to miss!