True on the wooden pencils.

PaperMate’s Mirado series is great — very smooth. I think Faber-Castell used to make them, then Sanford bought them, then they bought PaperMate, so they sell their school pencils and even the revered Pink Pearl under the PaperMate label now. (I might be wrong, though.) In any case, they still use the waxed graphite formula that makes them write so smoothly.

In any case, the Mirado’s have that great cedar smell, come in three finishes (“Woodtones,” “Classic,” and “Black Warrior”) and have a genuine Pink Pearl on top. Can’t beat them.

For underlining in books, however, I like the Faber-Castell Grip 2001 or the PaperMate American Naturals unfinished pencil. They are easier to grip with sweaty hands.