Doubt not Frank Peretti's courage. There is nothing writers fear so much as their next book. So it was an act of bravery when Mr. Peretti told WORLD in TK 1998, "I don't know if I'll ever become that great of a writer that I could actually write what could be called 'literature,' but I'd like to see how close I could get."

The rhymes are wonderfully silly and the rhythm is addictive:

F was once a little fish,

Fishy

Wishy

Squishy

Fishy

In a dishy

I'm the boss, applesauce!" declares Judge Judy-and she's right. Ratings are out, and for the first time, Judge Judy (Dr. Laura in a black robe) has beaten out both Jerry Springer and Oprah. She attracts nearly 9 million viewers a day with her syndicated moralizing. And her popularity has led to a crowd of court shows, with even ex-New York City mayor Ed Koch dispensing justice on TV.

But are the court shows any better than the talk shows? The jury is still out.