Cousin Irv from Mars    by Bruce Eric Kaplan Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2013 (2013) Hardcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch It is no secret that children like picture books that feature silly stories. That being said, this book should be a big hit with children four years of age and older. Teddy is thrilled when his mother's Cousin Irv comes to visit. Irv lives on Mars and he's a bit different. What's more, Irv will be sharing Teddy's bedroom. Not only does Irv breathe loudly so that it is hard for Teddy to sleep, but he also insists on wearing the boy's clothing, playing with his toys, and listening to horrible music. Teddy is not a happy camper! That all changes when Teddy takes his cousin to school. Although he is not the most popular kid in the class, that all changes when Irv turns out to be a big hit with all the other students. It doesn't hurt that Irv vaporizes the teacher! 'From that day on, everyone wanted to be Teddy's friend. And suddenly Teddy realized he liked Cousin Irv.' Now the two become firm and fast friends. But then, one day, Irv announces, 'Bad news, kid. I have to go home. My petsitter has a better job. Plus I just don't like the coffee on Earth.' You might think that's the end of this story but it's not. You'll have to get a copy of Cousin Irv from Mars to see what happens next. I think you'll get a chuckle over the ending and be surprised at how this encounter with Cousin Irv turns out. I know I was! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews