K-Gr 1-"You're late. Tick! Tock! You must have forgotten to set your clock!" Rhythm and rhyme follow a tardy Mr. Bungles as he races to be on time. From end pages that trace his route to brightly colored angles of each page, this book shouts MOTION and encourages listeners to fill in the rhyme with each turn of the page. Readers will find it might take more than just hopping in a car to travel even a short distance. Mr. Bungles's car won't start-he runs for a train. He misses the train and tries for a bus; it's too crowded. He runs for a van, but the van heads in the wrong direction, and Bungles finally returns via hot-air balloon and unicycle. As his name hints, the errant teacher can't seem to do anything right. Cartoon characters in scenes of collage and mixed media follow Mr. Bungles's efforts to watch the clock and avoid breaking his own rule, "Never, ever, ever be late for school!" A colorful selection for all libraries, this book is also a visually stimulating choice for teachers presenting time and transportation or inspiration for young students as the school year resumes.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Mr. Bungles, the teacher, has woken up late! Eyes bulging, he rushes about to get ready for school. But things go from bad to worse when Bungles can't find a shoe and then his car won't start. He must use his noggin to come up with increasingly zany ways to get to school on time. He misses the train, the bus is full, the hot-air balloon gets popped and the unicycle is too tiring. Finally, he relies on his own two feet and runs the rest of the way. Alas, he is still tardy. The events of the morning cause Bungles to reevaluate: He rewrites his stern instructions to his students, adapting his sign to a more generous, "Please try your best to be on time for school!!" Yoshikawa's bright, action-packed illustrations add zest to this fast-paced pleaser and include a clock on each page so kids can watch the minutes tick away. This silly, light snack of a tale shows that even teachers can learn a new lesson. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Usually it's the kids who are late for school. But here, it's Mr.Bungles, a school teacher whose rule is never, ever, ever be late to school! With frenetic art featuring Mr. Bungles, who practically jumps off the pages, this follows the teacher's efforts to get to work on time. He's foiled at every turn. His car won't start, so he races for the train. I missed the train. I won't make a fuss. Down the street, I can catch the bus. Or can he? Not when it's stuffed with people. From there, the vehicles get progressively more outrageous: a van full of animals, a hot-air balloon, a unicycle. Finally, it's his feet that don't fail Mr. Bungles, but when he gets to school a new rule is instituted: Try your best to be on time. This laugh-and-a-half book gets its kick from well-structured rhyming text and fruit-colored, in-your-face pictures. Fun for children and teachers alike.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist