Aloha, Delores (Melanie Kroupa Books)

When Dolores enters her cat, Duncan, in a Meow Munchies Cat Food contest, she's certain Duncan is so good-looking, smart, and talented that he'll win first prize: Soon she and Duncan will be enjoying pineapples and coconuts on the beaches of Hawaii! Her sister, Faye, is doubtful. "Duncan won't even eat Meow Munchies," she reminds Dolores. Ignoring Faye's voice of reason, Dolores is soon giving hula demonstrations at Show and Tell and saying "Aloha!" to the plumber, the dentist, and everyone on the crosstown bus in preparation for her trip. Before long, the whole neighborhood knows that Duncan and Dolores will be visiting Hawaii, and Dolores has confidently packed up Duncan and parked herself next to the phone, waiting for it to ring with the good news that they've won. When a cat named Fifi wins instead, Dolores must rise to the occasion... and with a little help from Faye, she discovers that winning isn't everything.

When Dolores catches sight of the hula-girl catfood display in the grocery store, she is immediately intrigued. "Attention Cat Lovers" says the box of Meow Munchies. She reads on: "Just finish this sentence: 'My cat deserves the best because...' and you could be the winner of A Luxury Cruise to Hawaii!"

That's it. As far as Dolores is concerned, she's already on her way. Her cat, Duncan, definitely deserves the best. He's "good-looking, smart, and loaded with talent... and he can play the guitar." Dolores's sister Faye reminds her that Dolores really can't count the time she dropped a tuna sandwich on the strings and Duncan licked them. But Dolores's bubble will not be burst. She shops for grass skirts and ukuleles, demonstrates the hula in Show and Tell, and greets the plumber with a cheery "Aloha!" Sophisticated readers will sense that Dolores's disappointment is inevitable. When the sisters finally hear the announcement that Fifi from Southpaw, Indiana, has won the contest, Dolores is devastated. But her older, wiser sister has a special knack for comforting Dolores, and soon this irrepressible cat lover has moved on to Plan B--"Ole!"

Young pet owners will identify with Dolores's unshakable confidence in her cat's exceptional qualities, and sympathize with her disappointment and subsequent consolation. Barbara Samuels's droll illustrations and realistic characterizations have appeared in several other titles about Dolores and her cat, including Duncan and Dolores. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter