LE CHAMPION DES BRICOLEURS Cecile Gagnon Montreal, Quebec/Amerique, 1991. 105pp, paper, $7.95 ISBN 2-89037-547-1. CIP Grades 3 to 6/Ages 8 to 11 Reviewed by Patricia Cooper Volume 20 Number 3 1992 May Cecile Gagnon is the author of many books for children. She is also an illustrator and translator, and the editor of Coulicou. Her works have won several literary prizes. Americ doesn't mind school; he likes to work, but a two-page-long descriptive composition describing the first snowfall is too much! His passion is tinkering; he can turn his hand to anything mechanical from the toaster to the alarm clock and the snow plow his father drives every winter lo clear the country roads. He even comes to his sisters' rescue as they search for the perfect hair cutler. From the beginning to the end of this humorous story, Americ's inventions will amuse young readers as much as they surprise his family. Readers will like Americ and wonder what invention he will think of next. He may even inspire a few would-be inventors. A few more serious issues are touched on, such as global warming, clean air and the thinning of the ozone layer, but they arc really peri­pheral to the story. The only weakness in the plot is that these issues aren't worked in better. The twelve short chapters contain amusing illustrations by Daniel Dumont and the print is large and easily readable by this age group. Recommended for francophone and French Immersion students. Patricia Cooper, Brampton Public Library, Brampton, Ont.