Preschool to Grade 4

Fiction

Gr 3–5—Ten-year-old Esther makes friends with an elderly neighbor and learns much about life through Mrs. Kleinman's sage advice. She puts those lessons into action, giving back to friends, schoolmates, and the woman herself. The minor conflict in each chapter is quickly and easily resolved, the characters are boringly nice, and the writing is so businesslike that storytelling details seem to have been cut for the sake of efficiency. This pleasantly bland story with its extreme wholesomeness may be enjoyed by Orthodox Jewish children for its depiction of their familiar lifestyle. However, the book holds little interest for readers outside of that community.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

PreS-K—This is a wonderful resource to use with children to illuminate the ways of nature; it's economical and rhythmic in text, and beautifully and clearly illustrated. Arnosky uses simple language and a repeated refrain to describe the animals that live in a lush Southern environment: "There are babies in the bayou with black and yellow tails" (alligators), "…with rings around their tails" (raccoons), "…with shells upon their backs" (turtles), and "…with webs between their toes" (ducks). As the gentle text guides readers through the swamp, each spread limns its scene in transparent green, yellow, and blue acrylics, framed with dark branches, grasses, and silhouetted birds and other small creatures. Use this vibrant book as a read-aloud to introduce an intriguing habitat, or pair it with Kathi Appelt's Bayou Lullaby (HarperCollins, 1995) for a satisfying storytime sojourn.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

PreS-Gr 2—In his third adventure, Sock Monkey, the famous toy actor, gets his big break. He's been cast to play a singing cowboy in Hubbub at the Happy Canyon Hoedown. His friends help him prepare for the part by teaching him how to yodel, ride a horse, and lasso a cow. Decked out in his sensational cowboy suit, he is almost ready when filming starts the next day. Sock Monkey aces all his scenes, but when it's time for him to kiss his leading lady, the girl-shy hero just can't do it. Poor Lulu's tears make him realize that there is only one way to apologize, and he kisses her on the cheek. "Cut! That's a wrap!" calls the director. Sock Monkey and Lulu ride off into the sunset, knowing their movie will make them stars. This lighthearted confection doesn't break any new ground, but its colorful, childlike drawings and breezy plot make it a quick, enjoyable read. Sock Monkey makes a new friend, and everybody gets along. If only real life were that simple!—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

K-Gr 2—Sam and Lucy are excited to be going to the dog park with their "people." Written entirely in short phrases "spoken" by the various animals, the text is breezy and light, switching quickly from one pup to another. The crisp watercolor illustrations capture their energy and exuberance. The many breeds depicted are listed on the inside flap of the book jacket, encouraging readers to find them in the pictures. The last page lists some simple rules for these parks and tips for starting one. Ultimately, this title might be of interest in larger libraries or those near a popular dog park.—Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY

K-Gr 2—A yellow, mixed-breed dog narrates his life story. Buddy's former owner did not feed him enough or provide clean water, and frequently left him chained outside. But things changed for the better when the animal was rescued and taken to a shelter, where he was subsequently adopted by a caring family. Attractive, realistic paintings invite readers to look into Buddy's eyes and experience his emotions, both of neglect and of contentment in his new home. The author appends additional information about how to help an abused dog. Unfortunately, the list of suggested Web sites is uneven. Pets911 is the most appropriate for this age group, while the others should be used with caution with young children (e.g., Dogs Deserve Better includes disturbing photographs of abused dogs). The address given for ASPCA's "Fight Cruelty" is incorrect. Use this story to supplement other heartwarming pet tales and skip the Web sites.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

PreS-Gr 3—Grady is the last of 12 eggs to be hatched, and the most worrisome: she likes to wander off. As the season gradually changes to autumn, her parents find themselves repeatedly counting their many offspring, only to find one missing. Unfortunately, Grady is not among her flock when they fly south. Left alone, she's chased by a wolf and must fly solo through the night. Without support, she quickly tires and tumbles from the sky and becomes ensnared in barbed-wire fencing. She's rescued by a kind farmer who drives her to a nearby field where, lo and behold, her family is found. It is obvious that the author is using nature to teach the value of family. Despite this contrivance, the overstated text is softened by glorious, realistic paintings that bring the gosling's natural world to life. Due to the messy tuft of feathers on top of Grady's head, young readers can identify and cheer for her safety and success. A final page gives further facts about the migration of Canada Geese, again stressing their ability to work together as a unit.—Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI

PreS-Gr 1—Each of these small-format titles features a colorful cover and an opening page that is likely to prompt a question or prediction. Unfortunately, the cartoon art in Monkey, while depicting some energetic and mischievous animals, also features an awkwardly drawn boy. The illustrations in the other books are also somewhat amateurish and/or static. All three books have minimal text, none particularly inspired, and certain words in Pumpkin-"rectangle," "half-circle," "square," "scary," "triangle"-may challenge new readers. With so many wonderful beginning readers available, these titles don't rise to the top.—Colleen D. Bocka, Nathaniel Rochester Community School, Rochester, NY

PreS-K—Bright Stanley wakes one day to discover that the other fish in his school have swum on without him. While searching for them, he meets a cranky lobster, a shiny pearl, and a frightening shark that chases him into a cave. When he's brave enough to come out of hiding, he is reunited with his friends. The story is slight, but sweet. The colorful cartoon illustrations are simple and cheerful, and Stanley and his pals are decorated with shiny gold-foil scales. The text is occasionally lost against the dark backgrounds. An additional purchase that may appeal to fans of Marcus Pfister's "Rainbow Fish" books (North-South).—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

Gr 1–4—A little girl is surprised to learn that her grandparents have decided to live apart for awhile. Grandpa explains, "We're just so different....She wakes me up too early in the morning...and she eats MY chocolate pudding." Grandma offers her own reasons: "He makes me crazy with his loud music. He never leaves me any chocolate pudding…." Both elders profess to be happy in their separate households, but the perceptive child senses their loneliness and devises a romantic plot to reunite them. She sends them each a hand-knitted scarf along with an anonymous invitation to ice skate at Little Lake, where they fell in love 30 years earlier. Bunge's angular ink-and-watercolor illustrations play with perspective and artfully convey feelings of emptiness. The young narrator sorts through the family conflict with innocence and ingenuity.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Gr 2–5—A perplexing follow-up to One Red Dot (S & S, 2005). Intricately designed paper sculptures are paired with fragmented text containing words in alphabetical order. In each of the nine boldly colored spreads, readers are asked to look for a "Blue 2" hidden somewhere in the illustration. Both the language and the images are highly abstract ("Jubilant Kookiness Laughing" is paired with white pop-up cones emitting colorful curving lines and dots); the vocabulary is often quite challenging ("Mobile Nonsense Oscillating"); and some of the concepts are difficult to grasp ("Exploding Yin and Yang Zone"). Often, the sought-after Blue 2 is a bit too elusive. While the pop-ups are innovative and exciting and the graphic design is enticing, this book will be beyond the grasp of many young readers.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—"Once upon a time," begins this story within a story, as Grandpa tries to take young Barney's mind off his itchy chicken pox. He tells of his adventures when he and his pal Doc Storkmeyer were exploring the jungle on bicycles. They encountered the poison-arrow-throwing, drum-beating Pooches, whose tribal queen designated Grandpa to be her king. When he rejected her romantic offer, she ordered her subjects to "use the shrink juice." Even though poor Doc suffered a head-shrinking, Grandpa cleverly engineered the duo's escape and restored his friend's head to normal size. This brush with terror is really just a rollicking tall tale; the hilarious cartoon drawings of the dogs dancing around their cauldron of vile green stuff and the boxes with silly dialogue throughout will make children laugh and eagerly await a fourth installment.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

K-Gr 3—Tongue-in-cheek humor peppers this original tale that incorporates the stone-soup motif but is based on a Chinese legend instead of the European folktale. A fisherman complains that the three boys he has hired to work on his boat are "somewhat stupid" and "lazy" even though the illustration reveals that he is lounging at the stern while the boys toil. At lunchtime he barks out orders, "Ting! Gather firewood. Pong! Prepare the cooking pot and clean the fish." The cooking pot is missing, however. Undaunted, the young lads dig a hole in the sand for cooking and throw a "fish stone," an "egg stone," and a "vegetable stone" into a nearby fire. They distract their employer by asking him to make bamboo bowls and chopsticks while they add the real ingredients to the sand pot. When the rocks are added to the soup, the food floats to the surface. The unpleasant employer then claims that he can make soup from stones, but it is clear from the illustrations that the villagers know he's been fooled. The watercolors are in eye-catching shades of blue, green, and yellow, and are filled with motion and humor: a monkey imitates the jaunty walk of the fisherman, and pen-and-ink drawings meticulously detail whiskers and hair. However, the boys' faces appear stereotypically round, with slanted eyes that seem exaggerated. An additional purchase.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

PreS-Gr 1—An attention-grabbing, shiny, wet-looking streak splashes across the cover like a big slurp while a cow-shaped shadow skulks across the endpapers. Within this clever package, simple rhymes on bold spreads tell the story of a mysterious cowlick. Finally, there is a reasonable explanation for all of the hair that goes astray in the night: when kids are sleeping, the cowlick cow comes along and plants a big sloppy kiss on their heads. "To the bedside she comes sneaking/Lifting covers, gently peeking/Sees a face so soft and sweet/Framed with hair so smooth and neat…." Appealingly rich and textured paintings on full spreads depict the course of the cowlick night and the morning after, lending the text a perfect fuzzy nighttime quality. The short, lively text makes this fun for sharing aloud with large groups of young children, especially those with heads marked by the cow's kisses.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Gr 3–6—The Black Dinosaurs are four African-American boys from Ohio who enjoy science adventures. In this fourth outing, Ziggy and his friends attend Space Camp at the Huntsville, Alabama Space Center. Initially, Ziggy hopes to uncover evidence of aliens, but he quickly finds the program even more interesting. The book describes the camp in detail, from the Habitat dorms to the training equipment to the simulated shuttle mission and the graduation ceremony. The Dinosaurs are teamed with four sixth graders from a small Southern private school. The eight diverse young people work together well and Team America becomes the most successful group at camp. Draper seamlessly incorporates information about space science and astronautics into the text, with a distinct focus on the contributions of women and minorities. There is considerable humor and even a light touch of mystery, but the real emphasis here is on cooperation and respect. The book includes review questions and Web sites, although two of the URLs are not directly accessible. Although the plot has minimal conflict or suspense, the Space Camp theme, short text, and likable characters make this title worth considering.—Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

PreS-Gr 2—Carlo, Mark's cat, is fed up with living in the boy's thoroughly messy room. After bumping into the cactus in the flowerpot where he has slept for the hundredth time, he decides to run away. He climbs a fire escape and springs through an open window into an elegant apartment. Here, a delighted little girl, Lisa, and her doting aunt make him a luxurious bed, feed him fancy treats, and allow him to nap on a satin sofa. But soon he becomes bored with too much tidiness and nothing to rummage through for surprises. He sneaks back home to Mark, who has cleaned his room and is waiting hopefully for his pet to return. A joyful reunion ensues. In a satisfying resolution to an appealing story, Lisa, who has followed Carlo, joins in the fun of trashing Mark's room but promises to come back the next day to help clean up. Large cartoon illustrations in acrylic depict the comfortable clutter and humor.—Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY

Gr 1–3—A promising start becomes bogged down in stereotypes in this tall tale of simpletons from down South. Known as the "dumbest boys in Texas," the Bunion Brothers find work with Granny Gert-a cantankerous, diminutive woman who has a "Mad Dog" and a gorgeous granddaughter, Starla Scissors. Buck and Buddy are immediately smitten and can barely keep their minds on their chores. Soon they are snarling and fighting with one another for Starla's attention, with Granny whacking and threatening the men with "Mad Dog" to keep them away from her. When Starla's equally attractive twin appears, the brothers settle in for courting the willing young women. The art, featuring a droopy-chested Granny and a bodacious babe of a granddaughter (complete with slightly suggestive poses), misses the sensibilities of its young audience. The ending, revealing "Mad Dog" as a piglet, seems tacked on. Phyllis Root's Aunt Nancy and Cousin Lazybones (Candlewick, 1998) and Ellen Jackson's Scatterbrain Sam (Charlesbridge, 2001) mine some of the same territory much more successfully.—Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI

PreS-Gr 1—In this simple rhyming story, eight bunnies spend the day making vegetable stew. They pick the ingredients in the garden, prepare them, and cook up a mouthwatering dish. But then, "Bunny one and bunny two/are balancing the pot of stew./Bunny three and bunny four/shout, 'Watch the peelings on the floor!'" When the stew inevitably spills, the depressed and hungry rabbits must band together to form a new plan. Back outdoors they go, this time to pick vegetables for a salad, which they share during a nighttime picnic. Soft cartoon illustrations in sugary pastel colors depict the family against detailed backgrounds. With all the bunny and counting books available, this overly sweet story is an additional purchase for most libraries.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

PreS-Gr 2—Polo, the irrepressible and resourceful pooch readers first met in The Adventures of Polo (Roaring Brook, 2006), returns when a little alien steals his new book. He gives chase up strings, down ladders, through a fun-house mirror, in the air, and-well, wherever Faller's fertile imagination takes the little canine. Equipped only with his backpack and dogged determination, Polo follows the thief through graphic-novel-style wordless panels from one fantastic series of improbable adventures to another. Along the way he makes friends, effects rescues, and dodges danger in unexpected ways that will delight readers and confound expectations. Never at a loss in any crisis, the pup pulls from his backpack full banquets, a tuba, rope, and any number of items to help him overcome sticky situations. The chase's conclusion is satisfying, and all of the characters join Polo at his home for a grand celebration. The uncluttered, bright art has plenty of child appeal. Young readers will return often to pore over and revel in Polo's imaginative exploits.—Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI

PreS-Gr 3—This follow-up to Fleming and Karas's Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (S & S, 2002) shares many of that title's fine qualities: lighthearted conflict, lively language, and those mischievous, childlike bunnies. With winter coming, Mr. McGreely snuggles up with a good book, but "Knocka-knocka-knocka!," three little rabbits come begging at his door. Since he won't let them in, they sneak in through the mail slot ("Tippy-tippy-tippy, hide!"). Each successive night, as the snow falls and the wind howls, the "pesky pufftails" find a new way to enter. Each morning, the man discovers evidence of their trespassing-footprints on a chair, nose smudges in his tub, even "bunny drops" on his pillow! Yet, despite his ever-expanding search, which is captured in cumulative verses ("over and under,/above and below,/here and there,/high and low"), he cannot find the critters. Sealing up his home with boards and bricks, he triumphantly waits out the season in peace. When spring arrives, it's the bunnies who have the last laugh: they're outside munching flowers while Mr. McGreely is trapped indoors. Done in gouache, acrylic, and loose pencil lines, the folksy artwork is full of changing perspectives and charming detail, and captures all of the action with warmth and humor. Perfect for winter read-alouds, this sassy sequel will please fans of the first book.—Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI

PreS-Gr 2—This lavishly illustrated count-it-down story describes a day filled with birdsong. At sunrise, a woodpecker "raps a tap dance with his beak, pecking 10 times as he looks for breakfast bugs." The illustration shows a dazzling redheaded woodpecker working on a tree, with 10 "tats" in various sizes scattered across the pages. Each successive spread features a different type of bird with a declining number of utterances. For example, mourning doves land on a telephone wire and "coo" to one another nine times; sparrows crowd around a bird feeder and emit eight "chirps." At day's end, a mockingbird mimics all of the songs she has heard, resulting in a true cacophony of sounds (and a fun challenge for reading aloud). In his vivid, realistic-looking collages, Jenkins uses accurate textures and colors for each species, and creates the appearance of depth, light, and warmth (the chickadees, described as making a tree look "like a candelabra," are divine). The writing is lyrical and engaging, and quick "feathery facts" about the creatures are appended. This book, which pairs nicely with Aileen Fisher's Know What I Saw? (Roaring Brook, 2005) and Ann Jonas's Bird Talk (Greenwillow, 1999), will engender a love for birds and an awareness of their unique music.—Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA

Gr 2–4—In this sixth book about Mallory, her new friend, Joey, and best friend from the old neighborhood, Mary Ann, are spending a lot more time together. Joey's father and Mary Ann's mother are dating, and the nine-year-old feels left out of the new family circle. Mallory fears that her friends' parents will marry and that the step-siblings will forget about her. The book is written as a diary and includes the date, time, and location for each entry, e.g., "Monday after school, at the desk in the kitchen." Pencil cartoons and a font that resembles a child's handwriting lend appeal. Friedman finds a true voice for her likable but somewhat self-centered character. It is all about Mallory until Joey admits that he is also frightened by the changes in his family. She then realizes that her worries are minor. A Valentine's Day party, exchanging cards at school, and a clever secret admirer who turns out to be a "friendly cheerer-upper" type rather than the "in-love-with-you" type are incorporated into the story. Fans of Megan McDonald's "Judy Moody" books (Candlewick) and Marissa Moss's "Amelia" notebooks (S & S) will enjoy Mallory.—Sharon R. Pearce, Longfellow Elementary School, Oak Park, IL

K-Gr 2—An African-American girl imagines that travelers come to town and that she changes places with a vagabond boy and goes traveling everywhere, ending: "A traveler,/a vagabond!/To wander/and to roam,/for maybe oh…/an hour or so…/And then I'll go back home!" The cartoon illustrations are well done and full of action, as the youngster visits the Taj Mahal, Holland, the Eiffel Tower, etc., and the text is framed on some pages with tassels hanging off a curtain, as if from a gypsy wagon. The overall effect is good, but the text is puzzlingly inconsistent, sometimes rhyming and sometimes not. A literal child might also wonder what the vagabond boy is wearing while the girl traipses around the world in his clothes-and apparently loses his red head scarf by the end. The book might conceivably be used as an example for a simple creative-writing assignment on a student's summer vacation experiences, imaginary or real. The illustrations are full of life, but the story is very slight and somewhat awkward.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

K-Gr 3—When attendance at the zoo is dwindling and visitors are bored, the director decides to close the facility. The animals are worried until the peacocks come up with a solution: jazz up their appearance. "Forget what you used to be,/forget what you were,/instead, let's paint patterns/on our skins and our fur." Chameleon uses his tongue to paint blue swirls on Orangutan. Mother Moose is no longer boring brown, but is covered with a blue geometric pattern. Hippo becomes "paisley-pot-a-miss." The "Art-imals" generate new enthusiasm among the visitors, who never yawn again. The bouncy verse is usually fast paced, but occasionally stumbles as it describes the children's sudden disinterest and the animals' subsequent change. The clean, delicate paintings expand the textual descriptions. Readers will appreciate the transformed creatures, finding new details with each reading. On some pages the text is printed on the background, while on others it appears in boxes to the side of the pictures. The result is visually uneven and somewhat disjointed. Certain parts sparkle with creativity, but as a whole, the book lacks polish.—Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

Gr 3–5—The star of Queen Sophie Hartley (Clarion, 2005) returns in another winning story. Fed up with her kids arguing over their weekly chores, Mrs. Hartley devises a job chart for them. Sophie, now nine, finds the situation unfair-older brother Thad figures ways around his duties, little John only has "fun" tasks, and baby Maura has no jobs at all-so she and her older sister Nora do most of the work. While her friends spend Saturday afternoons together, miserable Sophie is stuck home cleaning, and she finally reaches her breaking point. Following the example of their father who went on strike from work, she and Nora go on strike from their chores. Things quickly backfire, with smelly garbage and dirt threatening to take over the household, and Sophie must learn about negotiating her demands while attempting to solve her family's dilemma. Readers will empathize with this spunky youngster and her true-to-life problems. Well-developed characters, smooth dialogue, and a satisfying ending will leave them eager to read more of Sophie's escapades.—Michele Shaw, formerly at Yorkshire Academy, Houston, TX

K-Gr 4—In this winning picture book, Gutman revisits and updates Thayer's classic baseball poem. This time around (and much to everyone's surprise), Casey hits a fly ball that soars out of the park and keeps on going. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean and has an unfortunate encounter with a tower in Pisa before continuing on to the Sphinx in Egypt. Streaking through time, it passes dinosaurs (and sends them to their ultimate fate) and astronauts before heading back to Earth. The ride is uproarious from start to finish, and Gutman's broadly humorous verse hits all the right notes. This Casey is perfect for his role: smug, dense, and deliciously ripe for his comic send-up. "His arms, his legs, his neck, his lips-his teeth had muscles too./They rippled from his little toe up to his eyes of blue." Johnson and Fancher's paintings have a playfully nostalgic look, with a mix of textured papers and newsprint splashed across the surfaces of uniforms. Though "there's still no joy in Mudville," this is a fun read-aloud, and it will have baseball fans of all ages cheering. Gutman has reaffirmed the appeal of Thayer's classic.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Gr 2–5—When Dexter presents his perky teacher with his first assignment, it reads, "This morning I beat up a kid. I am tuf." Ms. Abbott pushes him to add details and much more to his story. With each revision readers learn more about why Dexter is angry, confused, worried, lonely, sorry, and why he hit Robin in the bathroom, and they see the developing friendship between the two boys. They discover that on Dexter's first day at his new school, he is left abruptly in a hallway by the school secretary and is laughed at when he falls on a slippery floor. They find out about his father's cancer and that he is living with his grandmother in Kentucky because his parents are at a hospital in Seattle. Slowly, they learn, along with Dexter, that the incident didn't happen exactly as he remembers it. An appropriately happy ending wraps up all of the loose ends. Haddix does an excellent job of capturing the voice of a fourth-grade boy. Dexter is a multifaceted character who thinks about his actions and emotions like a smart, confused kid, never like an adult. Occasional full-page drawings nicely portray the actions and feelings of the characters in this easy chapter book.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

K-Gr 2—"Thar be a treasure map inside!" proclaims the grotesque cartoon pirate on the cover of this title. There is indeed a detachable map tucked inside the front cover, which includes some "golden nuggets of pirate lore." The story itself is a confused mélange of pirate clichés and hasty retellings of various fairy tales. The hero, Jack Hubbard, sets out on a voyage with his long-lost uncle, Cap'n Horatio Hubbard. When the pirate captain's treasure map falls into the ocean, Jack dives after it, and then swims ashore to seek his fortune. He finds it at the end of a breakneck jaunt through several fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The narrative is awkward and erratic, often overestimating the vocabulary of its target audience, and the page layout is crowded and unattractive. Melinda Long's How I Became a Pirate (Harcourt, 2003) or Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Viking, 1992) are far richer choices.—Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA

Gr 1–3—Marvo the magician takes out his frustration with mastering his latest trick on his bungling assistant, Doris, because she fidgets. He decides that the next person he sees will replace her and goes outside into the alley. The only one there is a dirty old dog. Marvo chooses him and leaves the cleaning and primping for Doris to do. Not only is the pooch caked with mud, but he also has bad breath and a gas problem. However, he turns out to be a great assistant. The act is successful, Marvo makes lots of money, and he fires Doris. Hocus-Pocus Hound exacts his revenge by doing a magic trick of his own. This amusing book will delight newly independent readers, who will cheer for Doris and Hocus-Pocus Hound as they put Marvo in his place. The illustrations are a good match for the text, adding lots of color, humor, and detail. More challenging vocabulary (e.g., "audience," "applause," "fidgeting") is repeated several times, providing good opportunities for practice, but the number of words on each page could be daunting for less-experienced readers, and may be most appropriate for fluent third graders.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

K-Gr 3—Hayes spins a yarn purportedly derived from his boyhood in a small town in Arizona. The story involves his penchant for chewing wads of bubblegum, his mother's exasperation with the resultant messes, and an encounter with an angry rattlesnake. The large, two-page illustrations depict the exaggerations of this tall tale perfectly with varying perspectives on the child's encounter with the creature, bright shades of gold and turquoise, and an emphasis on pink (of course). Endpapers repeat the bold pink with splashes of a paler hue, framing a fun book for just about any kid; boys, especially, will love it.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

PreS-Gr 2—Three's a crowd in this follow-up to Duck & Goose (Random, 2006). Duck is smitten with his new friend, Thistle, who claims to be the fastest, smartest, strongest duck around. Goose is not as enthusiastic about the newcomer. At first he gamely tries to participate in her incessant contests, but eventually he wanders off sadly to look for butterflies by himself. A worried Duck follows him, and the reunited companions agree that they prefer their usual quiet activities to Thistle's manic pursuits. Accordingly, they trick her into winning a napping contest and then gratefully sneak off to play by themselves. While the story provides an interesting and lighthearted exploration of the issue of loyalty between friends, the resolution seems problematic. What will happen when Thistle wakes up? Will the three of them work out a way to play together? Will Thistle be excluded, or will Duck be pressured into participating in her games again? Perhaps these questions could open a class (or family) discussion about relationships. In any case, Hills's gauzy oil paintings of a hazy, sunlit landscape and endearing animals make this a book worth lingering over with a good pal.—Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA

PreS-Gr 1—This saccharine story awkwardly attempts to explain the changing appearance of the moon. Miss Mavis Sugar, a cat, is a talented baker. She creates a mooncake, adding to it slice by slice for 14 days until it is done (a full moon), and then invites her friends to "gobble it up in smiling bites" for the next two weeks until it is gone and she bakes it again. The tale starts slowly by listing page after page of desserts. The fable is unclear, and the lackluster text, which rhymes most of the time but abruptly stops at others, features overly cute phrases such as "deliciously delicious." The meter is often uneven, and while the author includes a refrain, children are likely to have lost interest long before it appears. The collage artwork, on the other hand, is a delight, and the full-bleed illustrations are filled with motion and detail. With beautiful use of color and texture, Hosta creates a cast of appealing animals and atmospheric moonlit nights. Watch for more from this artist, but pass on this uneven and plotless story.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

K-Gr 3—From their creaky front-porch rocking chairs, Walt (a social butterfly) and Fred (his polar opposite) recall New England's Great Blizzard of 1888, when they were young men. "Eh-yah, didn't think it would amount to much," muses Fred. But it did, and caught both of them unhappily by surprise: shy Fred found himself stuck in a lively, crowded tavern in town, while Walt was forced to take cover alone in his barn. When the snow eventually stopped, and they could finally dig themselves out, the two friends passed each other on the road-one desperate to get out of the bustling pub, the other equally desperate to get in. Schindler's ink-and-watercolor art captures the rolling, leafless, brown-and-gray landscape of Massachusetts in March, and then buries it in dense white snow. The art is infused with period details, from delivering milk in a horse-drawn cart to dinners lit by candlelight. Hurst's call-and-response narrative approach, consisting solely of the old men's terse dialogue, works well with the page layout and captures the rhythms of a story told, back and forth, many times over. A first choice for large collections, and a good supplemental purchase for all others.—Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC

Gr 2–4—A child recounts his great-great uncle's lifelong passion for flying-which began at age five with a leap from the roof of a chicken coop and climaxed with wartime flights as one of the Tuskegee Airmen. The man is depicted as a slender figure with distant eyes contemplating the wild blue yonder or, later on, posing with massive-looking, antique aircraft. The slightly misty look of Long's illustrations artfully evokes that sense of remembered times and matches the lyrical tone of Johnson's brief, poetic monologue. "He cried when they landed/because then he knew/what it was like to go/into the wind,/against the wind,/beyond the wind." A final view of the child and his uncle flying off into the "magical wind" in an oversize biplane caps this soaring double tribute to both the Second World War's still-underappreciated African-American pilots and to the profound longing to fly that impelled them.—John Peters, New York Public Library

Gr 2–4—Two placid cows in a pasture, Susanna and Joanna, dream of being cowgirls and taming the Wild West. They hope to experience cattle drives, a rodeo, a country dance, and more. The art depicts a lot of exciting cowgirl action, and the text is written in a punchy, poetic style. "Two cows/out back,/spotted brown/spotted black./Cud-munchin'/musey moos/dream of bein'/buckaroos." Unfortunately, the book is a bit confusing. While the first illustration shows Susanna and Joanna dreaming of being human girls, the rest of the pictures show them as cows. Still, the artwork is vibrantly colored and funny, and it gives the book a strong flavor of the West.—Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ

Gr 1–3—In the first title, Cristina is thrilled to learn that she can meet her favorite author until she realizes that his bookstore appearance is at the same time as her brother's Special Olympics track meet. She has been helping him train and promised to cheer him on at his big race. Her decision is rewarded with her brother's gratitude and an autographed copy of the newest book from the author in which he congratulates her for keeping promises. In Good Neighbor, Nicholas develops empathy for the old man next door. Mr. Robinson is a bit of a grouch, and even more so after his wife goes to a nursing home. Several incidents, including a soccer ball in a rosebush and a rambunctious puppy, widen the rift between the two neighbors, until the boy understands why the man is so unhappy and resolves to show him kindness. This changed behavior leads Mr. Robinson to recognize that he must also work on being kinder. Colorful cartoon illustrations reflect the positive tone in each book. Solid additions to collections looking for character-education materials. Both stories can be read independently or used as read-alouds in classroom settings.—Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA

PreS-Gr 1—Spare pages with graphic illustrations reveal the story of a little black smudge who searches for friends. He finds some colorful shapes, but they reject him. Encouraged by his parents to show them what he can do, he displays his remarkable shape-changing abilities. And then he teaches the other shapes how they can do the same. The language seems a bit stilted. The illustrations, however, are wonderful. Le Néouanic gives thanks to Leo Lionni, Joan Miró, and Henri Matisse for inspiration. Their influence on his art is obvious, especially when the colored shapes begin changing. The story is slight, but the shape-changing is creative and fun.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

PreS-Gr 1—Mr. Pusskins is a cantankerous cat who doesn't appreciate his young owner. When Emily lovingly coos, "what a handsome boy you are!" all he hears is "Blah-de-blah, blah, blah." Feeling smothered and yearning for some "naughty fun," he runs away. He wreaks havoc in neighborhood gardens, rummages through garbage cans, and hangs out with the notorious "Pesky Cat Gang." However, he soon tires of his new life. He regrets his ill treatment of Emily, and when they are finally reunited, he changes his ungrateful ways. Humorous illustrations capture this fluffy, ginger-colored sourpuss in all of his grouchy glory, and his big, round eyes convey a range of expressions, from haughtiness to remorse. This sassy love story will be a storytime hit.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Gr 2–4—In this third title about the nine-year-old detective, Harriet Bean heads to America with Aunts Thessalonika and Japonica to help previously unknown Aunt Formica. Heading west, they reach her ranch in time to trail some cattle rustlers. As expected from this author, the story is a romp of quirky personalities and unlikely situations. Sticklers for realism may not see the humor, but the book should appeal to those who appreciate a light touch and fun language. Rankin's black-and-white full-page illustrations reflect the comic tone.—Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE

K-Gr 2—This book begins, "Ms. Rubinstein is a beautiful woman. But nobody knows it," and the elegantly dressed woman is shown with her back to readers. On the opposite page, she is depicted in close-up, with a fan covering the lower half of her face: "Ms. Rubinstein has very beautiful eyes. But nobody sees them." As the story progresses, readers are shown more of Ms. Rubinstein's lovely attributes, until finally the fan is removed to reveal that she is the Bearded Lady of a visiting circus. On her day off, she goes to the park. No one seems to notice her kindness in feeding the birds, except for the pigeons and Mr. Pavlov, who sits next to her. In this scene, the lower part of his face is obscured by a scarf, while Ms. Rubinstein's face is completely unadorned. The two steal admiring glances at one another, then gaze directly into one another's eyes, and walk away hand in hand. Onlookers do not see the pair's smiles or growing love. They can only gawk at Ms. Rubinstein's beard, and Mr. Pavlov's trunk-he is the Elephant Man of another circus visiting the town. The stylized illustrations in bold and muted hues of red, black, and beige complement the text. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and readers will find much beauty in these characters, and in their story.—DeAnn Okamura, San Mateo County Library, CA

PreS—As a thousand cats (including lions, tigers, and cheetahs) sit watching the full moon, one small feline wants to fly away with it. He tries flapping his arms, leaping off rocks, and jumping from trees, to no avail. Finally, sailing off in a large silver spoon, he sees a reflection of the moon in the waves. Catching the orb's tail-"...a silver strand/That's felt by the sea but not by the land"-he is pulled up to the sky where he joins the moon, dancing and looking down at the world below. The lyrical, rhymed text is not well served by the garish, cluttered cartoon illustrations.—Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY

Gr 2–4—Inga Moore's retelling (Candlewick, 2001) substituted simple American English in a heavily abridged version of Nesbit's The Book of Beasts that effectively maintained some of its sweet humor. Now Hague uses his signature, elaborately detailed art to present a more somber abridged version (only minor textual changes from Moore's book) that may appeal to older children who like to be slightly scared. A large, fierce-looking red dragon dominates a couple of spreads. The luxurious details in the paintings depicting various town and landscape scenes include an elegant carriage drawn by eight white horses, a fountain holding up a gold-colored elephant, and a swan floating in a pond in a garden filled with statuary and urns. Interior details reveal a library with books overflowing onto the floor and chairs, elegant furniture, wooden toys, a lush bear pelt, and a clever portrayal of the little prince being mesmerized by the magic in the Book of Beasts. For libraries that do not have Moore's lighthearted romp, this version will please most children.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

K-Gr 2—In this easy reader, two sisters like to put on dress-up clothes and dance. The older girl (the swan) is a slightly bossy school-age child who takes ballet lessons. Sylvie (the duckling) admires and often imitates her, but clearly has a mind of her own. In each of three short chapters, Ormerod uses dancing as a pretext to explore the ups and downs of their relationship. The language, for the most part, is clear, concise, and descriptive-essential qualities for beginning readers. The watercolor illustrations place the girls and their mother on a clean white background, which effectively highlights the expressive detail in their faces and postures. The words and pictures work well together and depict, with subtlety and humor, the emotional life of an ordinary family.—Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA

Gr 3–5—Otto Pillip, eight-year-old inventor/secret agent, is back to defeat yet another wacky villain. Prune Man is out to steal the world's water supply by holding the Earth's oceans hostage in a giant water balloon and threatening to blast them all into outer space. He kidnaps Otto to use as an unwilling accomplice. The over-the-top humor becomes as tedious and repellent as Prune Man. There are too many gags, too many palindromes and anagrams, and too many chapters (4 introductions, 43 chapters, 3 epilogues). The black-and-white cartoons on every page, while appealing in a sketchy comic-book fashion, can't carry the story alone.—H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL

PreS-Gr 1—In bold, unornamented line drawings of a rabbit and a box, the author-illustrator offers a paean to the time-honored imaginative play of young children who can turn a cardboard box into whatever their creativity can conjure. Through a series of paired questions and answers, the rabbit is queried about why he is sitting in, standing on, spraying, or wearing a box. Each time, he insists, "It's not a box!" and the opposite page reveals the many things a small child's pretending can make of one: a race car, a mountain, a burning building, a robot. One important caveat: the younger end of the intended audience is both literal and concrete in their approach to this material. The box itself, drawn as a one-dimensional rectangle, will be perceived by preschoolers to be flat and not readily understood as three-dimensional. Furthermore, those children are likely to interpret the "box's" transformation to be "magic," while five- and six-year-olds are able to make the cognitive conversion from flat rectangle to three-dimensional box and to understand that the transformation has been made by the rabbit's own imagination. Both audiences will enjoy the participatory aspect of identifying each of the rabbit's new inventions. Knowledgeable adults will bring along a large box to aid in understanding and to encourage even more ideas and play.—Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, CT

PreS-Gr 2—Pritchett's original story gives a folkloric explanation for the development of polyrhythmic and polyphonic music. At first, all the African animals make their sounds without regard to the others. One day, almost by accident, they listen to Elephant stomping, "Padada BOOM-pada BOOM!" and begin to add their own rhythms and voices ("Shh-ka-shh!," "Skee-de-lee!," etc.), and the resultant dance party goes on for days. Only the frogs sit listening on the periphery. Finally, in the quiet dawn of the seventh day, the frogs lift their voices: "Reep-reep-ree!" and before long everyone else joins in. This book practically insists upon audience participation. The stylized earth-toned illustrations employ patterns found in African carvings and fabrics to good effect. In the right hands (and feet and voices), this will make for a rousing storytime.—Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY

PreS-Gr 2—As night falls, a gray squirrel searches for a place to sleep. Children will enjoy following the creature from den to cave to nest in his coastal woodland setting and share his frustration as he finds each potential bed already occupied. Raye's light-infused watercolors richly complement this gentle story and interesting facts about animal sleep habits are deftly woven into the narrative. For example, the squirrel gamely tries hanging upside down with a family of bats, avoids a hungry waking owl, and decides against sleeping on rafts of reeds with some geese and ducks as his feet might get wet. The satisfying ending finds him curled up in an abandoned woodpecker's nest using his fluffy tail as a blanket. A final spread featuring all of the animals waking at dawn asks readers, "Do YOU think the squirrel had the very best bed of all?," a question sure to invite discussion. This engaging read-aloud would work equally well in a storytime or a cozy bedtime setting.—Susan Moorhead, New Rochelle Public Library, NY

K-Gr 2—Millie loves unicorns: she makes clay figures of the creatures and frequently visits a statue of one in the park. On one such trip with her father and Casper, the family dog, the statue comes alive. With Casper at their side, Millie and her new friend fly through a rainstorm, to snow on a mountaintop, to a warm desert, and into ocean breakers. The trio land on a rainbow that leads them to a herd of unicorns on a beach, where they fall asleep. This oversize watercolor fantasy will charm young unicorn lovers. Spot lamination is used to make the artwork shine. Those who enjoyed B. G. Hennessy's Claire and the Unicorn Happy Ever After (S & S, 2006) will want to see this one, too.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 3–5—Kaley's fourth-grade class is doing a unit on letter writing. Each student must select an e-mail pen pal from a worldwide list of English-speaking schools. The nine-year-old encounters one problem after another with her choice of "cyberpals." The first one turns out to be a boy, and "boys=YUCK." Her next choice begins well, but after a few days the girl from Zimbabwe decides to write to someone else. Kaley keeps picking new pals and soon has six correspondences going. Readers learn about her life through these e-mails, and through notes to and from her teacher and reports that she writes for class. The plot is humorous, and dramatic tension is created by the conflict between Kaley and her class rival. Since the story is mainly told through short e-mails, it reads quickly. Students, especially girls, will identify with the protagonist's letter-writing and friendship difficulties. The reading can be somewhat difficult as each type of communication is in a different font, the teacher's notes are often hard to read due to a fancier typescript, and Kaley often guesses at the spelling of certain words. The story is worth the challenge, however.—Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Gr 3–5—Sam's grandfather, one of the foremost comic-book creators in the world, has disappeared. When Sam finds a strange pen in his grandfather's office, he discovers that the man has been sucked into the comic-book world he created, and only his grandson can rescue him. But that place isn't like the one Sam has read about; evil Baron Midnight is now in control and all the superheroes have been banished. Not only must Sam save his grandfather, but he must also restore the superheroes to a position of power in order to save the world. Rose describes the action with a detachment that never draws readers into the story. Nugent's illustrations are framed like comic panels, but lack the bold lines that fans of the genre would expect to find. Though Sam uses his grandfather's comic creations to outsmart the bad guys, readers never get a sense of him as a person. Emerald Curse carries none of the pacing and excitement that drive superhero tales. Stick with Brian K. Vaughan's "Runaways" series (Marvel).—Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

PreS-Gr 2—In the isolated town of Sunshine, Sheriff John keeps everything clean and "civ'lized." He believes that he owes his success to his special partner-a lucky ten-gallon hat. His wife has a penchant for hats, too, fancy ones. One night, in his rush to get to the scene of a saloon fight and to "a range war a-brewin'," the lawman grabs her new, ornate chapeau. He looks quite silly in it, but his crime-fighting abilities are unaffected. In the end, Sheriff John realizes that his hat has little to do with his achievements. The simple text written in Western dialect makes this a fun story to use with a group. The color cartoon illustrations add punch lines and, according to the book, draw inspiration from artist Leonetto Cappiello and old Western movie posters. Clever endpapers feature newspaper clippings that provide extra humorous details about John's life before and after the story.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

K-Gr 3—Ryder, the author of many lyrical science-based books, enters more playful territory in this picture book. Taking the traditional folk song "Buffalo Gals" as an inspiration, she and Francis have created an exuberant animal fantasy. Buffalo Flo gets an invitation to "come out tonight and dance by the light of the moon" and proceeds to collect her friends Goose, Cat, and Pig for the occasion. Each animal dresses with care, piles into Flo's car, and heads to the dance. "'I've got my banjo,'/yells old Farmer Snow./'Gals and guys, give a cheer/now that everyone's here!'" The rhymes dance, and so do Francis's paintings. Detailed moonlit landscapes are filled with animal characters that seem to leap from the pages. One just might wish that original lyrics had been included in the book. This team has created something quite enchanting under the moon.—Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME

PreS-Gr 1—Squeak reminds her friend Pip not to forget Gus's birthday present as the two mice rush to his party. But there's freshly fallen snow and an exciting ride on an envelope-turned-sled, and the cheese is forgotten. With no time to turn back, Pip tries to find a substitute, each of which is rejected by his companion. Then he spots something big and orange on the face of a snowman. Surely it must be cheese? At this point, children will be shouting out that it's a carrot, not cheese, and will share in Squeak's concern when Pip falls into the snow. The mouse lands safely, and the two proceed to the festivities with the new gift. The party scene, with charming details of acorn-top cups and bottle-cap hats, delivers the surprise that the birthday boy is a rabbit, making a carrot the perfect present after all. The spare, uncluttered images will make easy viewing for storytimes, although the intended humor of the large gnome, flamingo, and other lawn statuary that populate the snowy pages may be lost on young children. An appealing if not essential pick.—Susan Moorhead, New Rochelle Public Library, NY

PreS-Gr 1—Three short fables reflect on the lives of small creatures in a city park. Trevor is a mild-mannered budgie who decides to escape from his usual routine and "act wild." After shaking his feathers ("WHEEEEE") and twirling around ("WAAAGH"), he finds a French fry, but rowdy seagulls wrestle it away. Crestfallen, he sighs, "It was mine." Tired and hungry, he returns to the comforts of home. "Fiona the Lonely Land Snail" is searching for "everlasting love." Unfortunately, she always falls for a baby caterpillar and the doomed relationship "ends in tears." Fiona's spirits are lifted by a rain shower that makes her feel "slimy all over," and she forgets about her caterpillar troubles "…'til the next time." In the last story, Angela is a fly whose life span is only one day. She lives it to the fullest by laying a pile of eggs, enjoying a ladybug tea party, and rescuing an insect from a spider's web. Delicate colored-pencil illustrations in soft, muted tones complement the gentle, child-friendly text. These charming stories tackle universal themes with quiet wisdom.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Gr 2–5—Fred, Joe, and Sam are back in a new version of Scieszka and Lane Smith's "Time Warp Trio." This adaptation from the television series has not lost any of the appeal of the original: the story is fast paced and amusing. The boys are pondering the important question of what to eat when that familiar green mist begins to engulf them-just as a Mongolian barbecue takeout menu floats to the ground. And so they end up in the middle of a sheep herd in 13th-century Mongolia. One thing leads to another, and they are rescued from a tribal war by none other than the young Genghis Khan, Temujin (or T.J. for short). The turmoil is not over, since prince T.J. has a rival in Tarkutai, who has The Book. Joe, Fred, and Sam assist T.J. and recover it, but not before they dress as girls to infiltrate the enemy's camp. The boys make it back to Brooklyn in one piece, albeit still hungry. This installment in the series has new black-and-white illustrations (cleaner design, but not the same as Lane Smith's quirky art). Purchase for fans of the Trio and for kids looking for a fast-paced action story with lots of laughs.—Alison Grant, Ruby S. Thomas Elementary School, Las Vegas, NV

PreS—The pictures tell the story in this charming counting book. They begin with a spread depicting a child tearing gleefully out of the bathroom and down the hall, pursued by his sassily dressed mama. The spirited toddler goes on to hide in the laundry room, try on a silly hat before getting dressed, pause for a toe-tickling session, eat his lunch, and then join his mother outside for some rainy-day play. In the yard, he finds worms to dig up and puddles to splash in. Naturally, the day comes full circle, with one naked child back in the bathtub. The concise text does little more than name items to count in each picture, starting with the youngster and counting up to 10 happy daffodils, and then back down to one again. This simplicity makes the book an appropriate choice to read aloud to toddlers. The joyous, jewel-toned watercolor illustrations, however, present a more complex and nuanced narrative. The many details will spark preschoolers' imaginations, extending the book's appeal to a much wider audience. The endpapers show an abbreviated version of the story, with a dotted line marking the boy's path through his busy day.—Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA

PreS-Gr 2—Suzy lives in France with a fisherman and his four sons. One day, she climbs into a basket she spies in the field and settles in for a nap, only to wake up and find herself up in a hot-air balloon on her way to England. The cheery illustrations are full of detail, yet also come across as soft and comforting, with their pastel hues and softened lines that make Suzy a particularly endearing tabby. The rest of the story shows her various attempts to make it back home, even though the kindly old woman who takes her in is very nice and has a talking parrot. When surfing, waterskiing, and swimming fail to get her home, she finally winds up on a car ferry. As the crew and passengers attempt to capture her, she jumps overboard, where she is rescued-by four boys in a boat with their fisherman father. Suzy has found her beloved family, leaving Auntie Jo to wonder exactly where Biff the parrot learned to say "au revoir." A charming tale for both listening to and reading independently.—Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY

PreS-K—A circular story about a piece of red chalk and an imaginative but bored child. Sara, unable to draw a satisfactory picture on her bumpy sidewalk, sees that Tim is having more fun playing with his marbles. Instead of discarding the chalk, she tells him that "everything you draw with it will come to life." They make a switch and Sara's claim proves true for him. She doesn't know exactly what to do with the newly acquired marbles, so she trades them for a lollipop, telling a girl that they are pearls from the sea. Sam immediately turns into a smiling mermaid while Sara discovers that the lollipop is cherry, a flavor she doesn't even like. So, she barters again, acquiring a "broken" yo-yo, an "out-of-tune" flute, and a hopscotch board that disappears in the rain. But all is not lost as Sara is again in possession of the red chalk. She uses it to draw a very large hopscotch board that she shares with the other children. Delicate pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are the highlight of this story and deftly detail the make-believe scenarios the other children enjoy. This "grass-is-always-greener" tale is a conundrum: Sara seems to have a great imagination, but never learns to put it to use for her own entertainment.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Gr 1–4—It's 1955, major league baseball is newly integrated, and young Cleveland signs up to play on one of the four teams in the Cannon Street YMCA Little League-the only colored Little League in South Carolina. Earning a spot as pitcher, he is chosen at season's end for the league's all-star squad, which will compete in the state tournament. But the athletes' hopes are crushed when all of the state's 61 white teams refuse to play the black team, eliminating them from the tournament and a chance at the World Series. The National Little League invites Cleveland's team to Williamsport, PA, to watch the event from the stands, but it is a bittersweet experience for the boys. At September's end, Cleveland and his father cheer as Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers win the World Series. A two-page author's note explains that the tale is based on true events and includes team photos. Done in pencil, acrylic, and spray paint, Jenkins's color-saturated illustrations imbue the text with warmth, passion, and nostalgia. This is a powerful story, well told. By placing one boy's segregated baseball summer in the context of an integrated World Series, Weatherford gives readers a blazing picture of our country in the early struggles to abolish segregation. A first choice.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

Gr 3–5—In the second book in this fantasy series, Fatima lives with her sister's family in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. The 12-year-old babysits her nephew, despite the protests of her brother-in-law, Ahmed, who worries that she is too irresponsible for the job. When she flies away on a magic carpet, leaving the baby in the care of a maid, he is furious. Upon Fatima's return, Selime, believing that her sister is lonely, allows her to invite her princess friends for a visit. Also visiting is Ahmed's beguiling cousin, Yusuf. Mystery ensues when Ahmed is kidnapped and Yusuf begins redecorating the palace. Of course, the princesses, with the help of the magic carpet, uncover Yusuf's plot. This is a disappointing story. The characters seem like caricatures: Ahmed is always angry, Selime is sweet, Fatima is flighty but has a good heart, and Yusuf is smart but evil. The book's pace and suspense increase toward the end, but the solution is predictable. The accompanying cartoons are mediocre at best.—Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Gr 2–4—In this clever barnyard tale, Gallileon, a rooster with a large dose of teenage angst, must fill in for his father during his absence. The pressure of welcoming the new day is intense, but he succeeds after a few false starts. Returning to the coop, he finds his sister Pepina in trouble with their mother for being a bad influence on the smaller chicks. Forced by the hen to spend the day together, Gallileon and Pepina run into three menacing ducks and the meanest goose on the farm, Prattle. When he plays a practical joke that results in the kidnapping of Pepina, Gallileon must find the courage to defeat the bullies once and for all. The author has developed a cast of engaging and endearing characters. Gallileon and Pepina are particularly entertaining with their true-to-life, often-complicated, brother/sister relationship. The plot is quick paced and will keep the interest of readers new to chapter books. Occasional line drawings depict the animals' emotions. This engaging romp deserves a place in any library, urban or rural.—Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX

Nonfiction

PreS-Gr 3—On a bright sunny day, a group of animals hunt together in the forests of Somalia. They eventually find a herd of camels and separate one from the others. The pack drags it under the shade of an acacia and anxiously awaits the lion's permission for a portion of it. They are ravenous but they know that they must receive approval first. The lion selects one of the older hyenas to suggest a plan to divide the carcass. He thinks for a moment and then proposes that half of the meat go to the lion and that the other half be shared by the clan. The lion violently disapproves of this plan and demands that a fox put forth a better one, which she does, allocating most of the meat to "our noble king." Naturally the lion is delighted, but the other animals leave "…with grief and spread out in the forest, chanting: 'The lion's share is not fair, the lion's share is not fair.'" The English text is straightforward and economical, and the facing Somali version is accurate. The narratives are perfectly matched with painted linoleum block prints. The muted browns, yellows, and blues showcase the intricate carvings and suggest a hazy, hot day in Africa. This is the first book in the Minnesota Humanities Commission's Somali Bilingual Book Project featuring Somali authors and illustrators. It's an excellent choice to extend folktale collections and to provide refugee children a slice of their culture.—Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN

Gr 3–5—Lucid texts explore the problem of vanishing wildlife in a series of two-page sections, focusing on small, but key, members of the food chain. In large, easy-to-read print, each title presents basic facts about the animals (e.g., their outstanding physical and behavioral characteristics, natural habitats, diets, etc.) and then outlines the factors involved in their decline. Closing sections briefly describe conservation efforts worldwide and suggest practical ways readers can help. Illustrations of these endangered species-a mix of clear color photographs and drawings-appear on almost every page; most are identified by common names in captions. The first two titles also include diagrams of the animals' life cycle; Insects includes shots of a variety of wildlife habitats. While general introductions to these animals often have short sections on endangered species, such as Martin Schwabacher's Butterflies and Frogs (both Benchmark, 2004), the information is, of necessity, limited. Jen Green's Endangered Butterflies (Benchmark, 1999) covers similar material and provides more detail on physical characteristics; however, the Crabtree book has a greater emphasis on the environmental factors threatening the insects and is more succinctly written. Useful additions to natural-history collections.—Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library

PreS-K—These board books, illustrated with some of the most famous Western masterpieces, encourage children to "touch the art." Each volume draws on a particular period, with Mona Lisa's Hair featuring the work of the Renaissance and Van Gogh's Bed the Impressionists. For each reproduction, a tactile element has been superimposed; for example, an earring on Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and a piece of tulle on one of Degas' ballerinas. In some cases the feature is small and somewhat hard to find (the fuzz on the peaches in a Cézanne still life, the eyeglasses on the man in Grant Wood's American Gothic), despite the relatively large size of the books. Each selection is identified and accompanied by a brief text. The text of Mona Lisa's Hair is mostly interrogative and less engaging than the other books. It asks, "Do you have a mustache too?" Will children find this silly or condescending? Matisse's Fish opts for a more successful format, with the repetitive refrain of "What a busy day!" Van Gogh's Bed features a lively rhyming scheme, while that in Warhol's Top is more forced (delicious/nutritious/lettuce/messes). The final pages of the books include a date, location, and a description, along with biographical information on the artist for each "artifact." While the idea of introducing children to art at an early age is a noble one, pairing the touch-and-feel format to fine paintings doesn't quite work.—Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OH

Gr 3–5—These well-written, well-organized books are visually appealing and fun to read. Clearly presented information covers such topics as the animals' uses throughout history, their relationship with humans, habitat, diet, and appearance. The first title informs readers that camel milk is considered to have healing powers and that camel racing is a sport. The second book describes the elephant's ability to learn commands and the dangers involved in working with the creature. Horses discusses how people work "in partnership with an animal that still retains many wild instincts." Full-color photographs will capture readers' attention and keep them turning pages to learn more. Camels and Elephants have maps with easy-to-use color-coded keys that show where the featured animals can be found. Elephants includes an additional "Elephant Fact File" that provides a two-page synopsis of "everything elephant."—Cathie Bashaw Morton, Millbrook Central School District, NY

PreS-Gr 1—These books discuss the purpose of each featured part, its diversity among various types of plants, and its function as food for humans. Each spread has a clear color photo that covers a strip of the left-hand page as well as the entire right side. The illustrations are particularly interesting because of their varying perspectives, some taken at ground level, others reaching upward to the soaring heights of treetops. The texts consist of two easy sentences per spread. Some of the explanations are unnecessarily simplified, and the science suffers a bit. In Stems, for example, the text misleadingly says "Leaves make food out of sunlight," without mentioning water and minerals. As indicated in a note to parents and teachers, these books are designed to provide reading practice as well as subject knowledge and specific vocabulary.—Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, NJ

K-Gr 3—These attractive titles present general information, including short chapters on choosing and caring for a cat or a dog and the fun of owning one. The beautiful color photographs are the books' best feature, but their layout is confusing. The illustrations do not always relate to the text on the same spread, and captions are often at the bottom of the page instead of being directly under the pictures they describe, with unrelated text between the two. Dogs includes instructions on how to make a paper dog tag, and Cats demonstrates the construction of a cat mask. The resources listed under "Explore the Web" are not particularly good; several have pop-up ads and seem to be more appropriate for adults than children. The illustrations of active animals will appeal to young readers, but youngsters looking for more detailed information will do better with Claire Hibbert's Dog (Smart Apple Media, 2004) and Stephane Frattini's Face-to-Face with the Cat (Charlesbridge, 2003).—Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

Gr 2–4—This story, based on an English attack on the Abenaki in 1759, is notable for relating a lesser-known piece of history passed down through oral storytelling. Before the raid, Malian lives a happy life with her family. All that is destroyed when the English set fire to the entire village and her father is killed. Grief stricken, the girl makes a Lonesome Song. Eventually, the people rebuild, but vow never to forget. The art captures the details of the child's life, including homes, dress, and daily experiences. An afterword describes the event and how it was passed along and "discovered" nearly 200 years later. The story is told by Malian, with the text appearing in boxes over the full-page illustrations. The colors are muted, creating a feeling of reflection. Although the book relates a devastating experience, many of the scenes are peaceful, and the use of the past tense distances readers from the violence. Recommend this to history or English teachers for use in oral-history units.—Cris Riedel, Ellis B. Hyde Elementary School, Dansville, NY

PreS-Gr 5—Bryan's vibrant illustrations interpret and energize three beloved songs: "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Although the artistic style is similar to that in All Night, All Day (Atheneum, 1991), here Bryan uses intricate cut-paper collages to accompany the lines of text at the bottom of the pages. Energy and movement course through many of the full-bleed illustrations, as when children-depicted in rainbow-colored silhouettes-use a