Yeah, yeah, I know I’ve reviewed an Alvin Ho book already. But how could I resist the latest volume, in which Alvin adds dead bodies and funerals to his exceptionally long list of things to be afraid of? The main plot has him spending most of the book trying to work up the courage to go to a funeral (gulp) he has impulsively agreed to attend with GungGung, his grandpa.

Aside from the usual antics and unlikely heroics you’ve come to expect from Alvin and his PDK (Personal Disaster Kit), this book includes a particularly laugh-until-milk-comes-out-of-your-nose-hilarious situation in which Alvin’s classmates, believing Alvin’s GungGung to have just died, come to pay their respects to PohPoh (his grandma). Alvin, however, has failed to mention (due to the fact that school renders him physically unable to speak) that his GungGung is not actually dead, but is, in fact, quite healthy (though sleeping like a log). Also, due to a strange turn of events, Alvin’s PohPoh is not home and Alvin is dressed like her. The misunderstanding that ensues is the sort of sheer comic delight that seems to follow Alvin around wherever he goes. ( )

Alvin Ho's back to his usual antics! When his gunggung's friend passes away, Alvin volunteers to go to the funeral even though he's scared. But when a terrible mix up at school has his entire second grade class thinking that Alvin's grandpa has died, Alcin must figure out how to make things right. A solid entry to this series that will have kids chuckling along even as they identify with some of Alvin's fears. ( )