Preschool to Grade 4

K-Gr 2—Every child faces failure at some point, and this gentle story reminds readers how important supportive friends are in these situations. Abigail and George do everything together, from music to art to storytelling. The one thing that Abigail loves to do most, however, is to spell. With George's encouragement, she enters the school spelling bee; but then she makes a mistake and is eliminated. She is devastated until George tells a story reminding her how wonderful she truly is. Alter's folk-style acrylics done in warm, muted shades beautifully complement this steady-paced, conversational story. A swell selection.—Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MD

PreS—Young Anna and her blue stuffed bunny play out the common dramas and dilemmas of the preschool set. In Messy, she feeds her soup to Little Rabbit, causing an annoyed reaction from Mom and a trip to the washing machine for the bunny. Anna teaches her toy companion the dos and don'ts of using the toilet in Potty. With endearing characters, simple and accessible cartoon art, and sensitivity to the experiences of toddlers, these books will find their audience. Even though older children will giggle and some adults may balk at the depictions of poop and of Mom wiping the little girl's bottom, toddlers will take the life lesson as intended. While Anna and Little Rabbit may not have the broad appeal of Lucy Cousins's Maisy, these Dutch imports will fill the demand for books for the very young.—Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 2–5—Less scatological than Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) but just as wacky, this fourth installment about Wilbur and Orville Riot is chock-full of goofy, good-natured fun. The brothers are distressed upon hearing they'll be spending the first few days of their summer vacation with their cousin Amelia. All fears are put to rest, however, when they discover that she shares their wild sense of humor. When they're not cracking corny jokes, the youngsters devise boredom-busting games such as "Pufferbelly Pointer Punt," "Holey Cheese-n-Peas," and "Curse of the Mummy" (instructions, along with Riot Brother Rules and parody songs, are appended). Divided into three mini-books with several short chapters that have large type and a generous number of zany cartoon drawings, this offering should be easy for newly independent readers to digest, while the nonstop humor will grab older children. Kids are sure to enjoy the warm family dynamics between the imaginative and exuberant brothers—and their like-minded cousin—and the breakneck pace of this uproariously funny book.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Los Angeles Public Library

PreS-Gr 2—Andersen's timeless story is lovingly revisited in this modest yet engaging retelling. With the sound and feel of a classic in the very best sense, the familiar tale has been reworked but not oversimplified, making it particularly appealing for children who might be too young for some of the harsher elements of the original. But what makes this version particularly appealing is the lovely watercolor artwork, which, like the text, exudes a feeling of tradition and familiarity. Uncluttered backgrounds are softly blurred in watery shades of blue and green, while the details are more focused and sharply drawn. The duckling's sadness and longing to belong come through in his posture and expressions, providing a clear focal point for readers' empathy. When considering a classic, it is easy to decide that a collection doesn't need yet another version, but with a beautifully simple offering such as this, one might want to think again.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Gr 1–4—Once again, Isadora sets her adaptation in Africa. While faithful to the basic elements of Andersen's story, she softens the bitterness of the duckling's stay with the old woman and her animals, and instead of the harsh treatment originally meted out by the farmer's wife and children, states that "the duckling was showered with kindness." Also less dramatic is the animal's surprise discovery of his own beauty when he is approached by a group of swans. What shines in this telling are the illustrations, all collage spreads executed in oil on palette paper and printed paper. While it may seem unusual for a baboon, monkey, giraffe, and other native African creatures to appear among the farm animals that taunt the duckling, Isadora's brilliant colors and broad brushstrokes beautifully capture the unnamed African setting, where a huge orange sun beats down on lush vegetation and, in a change of season, blue-white icicles hang from bare branches over a frozen lake. A particularly striking spread depicts the forlorn duckling standing apart from a line of African animals, all in silhouette at the water hole, watching a flock of birds take to the skies. Baskets, clothing, headpieces, and jewelry evoke African culture. It may be interesting for children to compare this unusual setting with Jerry Pinkney's (HarperCollins, 1999), a more traditional and beautifully illustrated version.—Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT

Gr 1–3—In this installment, Roscoe decides that he'd really like to take tap because he loves the sounds that his friend Emma's shoes make when she dances. Some of the boys warn him that tap dancing is for girls, but Roscoe's teacher shows the class a video of a famous male tap dancer, and so he is undeterred. He enjoys his first lesson, but notices that he is indeed the only boy in the class and begins to feel uncertain. Then Emma asks him to join her in the talent show. To get out of it, he fakes a leg injury. In the end, though, he learns another rule of life. The sentence structure in this early chapter book is simple, and the vocabulary has few challenging words. The print is large and set off with lots of white space. Black-and-white drawings, some full page, provide graphic support. Although the story is predictable, inexperienced chapter book readers will find it suspenseful and funny. This book could be paired with Tomie dePaola's Here We All Are (Putnam, 2000), in which the author takes tap dancing lessons and becomes quite the performer. Purchase where beginning chapter books are needed.—Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

K-Gr 1—In perfect rhyme, a pop-eyed frog on a log (Wilma) embarks on her favorite adventure: chasing a plump fly. In hot pursuit, she fails to notice the purple spaceship that lands at her pond. The alien child who drops out of the ship looks a lot like Wilma, only blue. So when Wilma is robotically grabbed and stuffed into a space suit for takeoff, nobody realizes that she's not little Blooger. Her wild enthusiasm for chasing flies is what sets the resolution, and the spaceship, in raucous motion. When Wilma's greenness is discovered, "Robot doctors tried to find out/what the problem was./And only Wilma noticed a/familiar little buzz./She chased it all around the room/and out into the ship./She hopped across the flight controls/and things began to tip." The illustrations explode across the pages with frantic innocence. The only characters that don't look 100 percent sweet are the alien robots. Even the flies are adorable. Onboard, the robot waiter offers cool glasses of pond water while aliens munch Martian bugs that look like large crustaceans. There's a deliciously scary close-up as Wilma is examined by the robot MDs. To say that the pictures complement the text is like declaring that the Sun complements the Earth. Children will adore Wilma.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

PreS-K—In this entertaining follow-up to Too Many Frogs! (2005) and What a Party! (2007, both Philomel), Froggie can't wait to meet Goose and Gander's new arrival. He makes up a song, and when the long-awaited guests arrive and Gosling turns out to be a squalling baby, it is his song and dance that finally cheer her up. Froggie is a true toddler, showing impatience, excitement, and disappointment when the baby isn't what he expected. Graves's quirky cartoon illustrations, created in bold-colored acrylic, ink, and pencil, combine full-bleed spreads with spot illustrations, keeping the story flowing. Froggie is spotted green with huge round yellow bug eyes on the top of his head, and his long-suffering friend Rabbit is an elongated character in a pale shade of blue with large teeth. The characters are oddly appealing with their expressive faces, long necks, and short, round bodies. Asher perfectly captures her young protagonist's emotions, and preschoolers will easily empathize with him. This versatile title will work well in storytimes or one-on-one and effectively introduces the idea of dealing with frustrations in an amusing way.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

PreS-Gr 2—Big Rabbit has a nasty bad mood that is following him all over the house. He tries to rid himself of the uninvited guest by playing music, watching television, and calling Squirrel on the phone—all to no avail. That bad mood just won't go away. It even appears naked and wipes boogers on the carpet. As he is laying arrows on the floor to direct his nemesis out the front door, the doorbell rings. Big Rabbit opens it to find his friends and his mom, bringing presents and a cake made out of pancakes: it's his birthday. The unwelcome visitor, predictably, disappears and Big Rabbit wishes him good riddance. Badescu's text is crisp yet fun; her use of lists and a run-on sentence are particularly effective. However, it is Durand's art that is the star. Big Rabbit's deadpan expressions are hilarious, and the bad mood is portrayed as a gray hairy monster that eats Big Rabbit's cactus and makes a mess. The color palette is bold, but the illustrations are detailed and small. This unique perspective on an age-old theme would pair well with Mo Willems's My Friend Is Sad (Hyperion, 2007).—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

Gr 2–5—If you are in need of entertaining mysteries for primary-grade and reluctant readers, there's good news here—at least partly. The Graffiti Mystery is an excellent, lighthearted, and enjoyable read with many humorous situations and clever crime-solving tactics. Damian is easy to like and root for. He even gets extra points for including his little sister and her best friend in his sleuthing. Someone has been spraying graffiti in the boys' bathroom, and Damian assists the police in nabbing the culprit by using the vandal's poor spelling to track him. Ross's droll illustrations add to the merriment. Undercover Goalie has some good qualities but lacks the cohesiveness of Damian's tale. Klooz is a private eye who is not into sports. When his new case has to do with figuring out why a soccer goalie is deliberately losing games, he discovers he has athletic talent, too. Both text and illustrations have a lot of humor, but the plot is a bit convoluted. Both books include discussion questions, writing prompts, and directions on using Internet FactHound. Add Damian to your collection, for sure. Klooz is an additional purchase.—Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI

K-Gr 2—Bridget Fidget is the timeless cartoon poppet, dreaming, dashing, fussing, laughing, dragging her remarkably expressive stuffed animal everywhere. "Bridget Fidget had always wanted a pet unicorn called Thunderhooves. So when the doorbell rang…she leaped out of bed, put her clothes on, and raced downstairs with her favorite toy, Captain Cat." The cartoon illustrations, which have a 1950s, Eloise air, are so joyfully kinetic that viewers are left breathless. The child remains hopeful as she tears into a huge delivery box and finds a bunch of "snow" and, finally, a tiny box. When the small box makes a noise, she declares, "It's asleep, Captain Cat! There's a sleepy little secret pet in the box and we need to WAKE IT UP!" The trouble she gets into, the tantrums, and the arrival of her perfect pet seem natural, and surprising. Every layout has enough pizzazz to stand on its own. But nothing stands still in the world of Bridget Fidget: the whirlwind of a 200-percent-awake small girl in a red dress and shoes catches up characters, scenery, and readers.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

PreS-Gr 3—Martha can skateboard, sing, and make impressive karate moves. She can share, make presents, and read stories. But she "doesn't say sorry." Not ever. On a particularly trying day when she plays tricks on her parents and her baby brother, the young otter refuses to apologize, even when she's given plenty of time out to think things over. But her family can be stubborn, too. Mom doesn't give cookies to a little girl who won't say she's sorry. Dad won't give her a piggyback ride. Even her baby brother withholds a hug. Initially Martha's reaction is, "Fine! Who needs them, anyway?" But, of course, she relents, and the process by which an actual apology issues forth from her lips will make readers smile. Whatley's watercolor and colored pencil depictions of this otter family greatly enhance the humor of the text. Parents and teachers can pair this funny story with Kathryn Madeline Allen's This Little Piggy's Book of Manners (Holt, 2003) to spark a lighthearted discussion of polite behavior.—Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT

Gr 2–4—Humorous and charming, these "what happens next" fractured fairy tales inject the world of fantasy with a silly dose of reality. In Mr. Wolf, fatherhood ruins the big, bad wolf's appetite for mayhem. Finding himself out of work, he goes to an employment agency and tries several ill-fitting careers before landing the perfect job with three little pigs. In Red Riding Hood, Granny is lonely. Feeling guilty, her granddaughter tries visiting after school, locates a group for the woman to socialize with, and even signs her up with an online dating service, with little success. In the end, as in the original story, it's the Woodcutter who saves the day. Children will love that they are able to figure out the solutions to these stories long before the characters do. The cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations add interest and enhance the mood. Teachers will appreciate the discussion questions, writing prompts, and information on using FactHound to find Web sites, and the glossaries are perfect for elementary readers. Light on substance but full of fun, these books are great for students ready to jump into chapter books or who are looking for enjoyable, lighthearted reads.—Nicole Waskie, Chenango Forks Elementary, Binghamton, NY

K-Gr 2—In this nearly wordless flight of fantasy, two brothers with very active imaginations begin an exciting day in a plastic wading pool where one of them sails a boat. The other child, envious of the toy, points to the garden hose filling their pool and distracts his sibling with notions of a monster lurking overhead. The boat owner turns away, and his boat is snatched. The competitiveness continues, culminating when the boys are served ice cream. The envious boy perceives that his sibling's serving is bigger than his, and in their struggle over the larger bowl, the ice cream flies off the table and into a tree, where a bird tries to hatch the freezing "eggs." Here the boys enter a fantasyland where they are chased by monsters and need to work together to escape. Briant has used a graphic-novel style with cartoon illustrations. Colors are vibrant and add energy to the story, while changes in perspective (the dragon seems enormous) add excitement. Interesting details flesh out the story, but it might leave many children wondering about the sudden switch from reality to fantasy play.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

PreS-Gr 1—Marie Elaine wonders what her cat, Malcolm, does at night that causes him to sleep all day. When she goes down to the kitchen late one night and finds him all dressed up to go out, she asks to come along. He agrees as long as she "gets small," and he takes her and her neighbor Norman to a secret cat party on the rooftops, where they dance, feast, and meet the queen of the cats. Burningham's signature sketchy mixed-media illustrations are a good fit for the dreamlike story, as is the off-kilter logic of the text ("Marie Elaine got small, and they went out of the house through the cat door"). The artist uses color to great effect; when the child is in her normal daytime world, the illustrations feature little background information, but the rooftop world of the cat's party is awash in color and fanciful detail. This simple fantasy captures the pleasant feel of a dream, but without providing a strong emotional connection to the characters, it is likely to be as easily forgotten upon waking.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

PreS—Kiki, a little monkey with an expressive face, loves her blankie. Polka-dotted and sassy, it is her best friend—her napkin when she's messy, wings when she wants to fly, and more. It goes with her everywhere until the day it blows away, and she must find a way to rescue it from the jaws of a crocodile—a known nemesis of monkeys everywhere. Brightly colored, uncluttered illustrations are set on large areas of white space, making the objects and action easy for young children to find and follow. Preschoolers will relate to Kiki, her blankie attachment, and to her energy and creative play. Her story will help them learn problem-solving strategies and how to be brave in scary situations.—Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ

Gr 3–5—Ten-year-old Saxby Smart shares his father's love of detective stories, but unlike his father, who is a local bus driver, his love goes beyond reading. With his Crime Headquarters and Thinking Chair in the shed in his backyard, Saxby is ready and willing to take on any mystery that comes his way. When Jasmine Winchester asks for help in proving that the mask her father bought in Japan is not cursed, he finally gets to put his deductive skills to the test. The title contains the accounts of three separate cases, interspersed with black-and-white drawings and excerpts from Saxby's handwritten notebook. Like Donald Sobol's "Encyclopedia Brown" series (Bantam), the books give children the opportunity to solve the mystery or crime along with Saxby. He asks questions of readers, focusing on important clues or deductions and giving them a chance to follow his thought processes before continuing with the story. Young mystery fans will enjoy tagging along with him.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

PreS-Gr 2—On her first day at a new school, Kim wants to distinguish herself from a classmate with the same name, so she tells a "teeny, tiny, bitty lie," saying that Kim is actually an acronym for Katherine Isabella Marguerite. After her teacher calls it a name befitting royalty, the rumor spreads that Kim is a princess and she goes along with the charade. Everyone is hypnotized except Jason, who doesn't believe Kim's story. Then, Kim is put in a difficult situation when her grandmother, the supposed queen, comes to town. In the end, a wonderful lesson is learned and a new friendship is formed. The brightly colored artwork brings the story to life. Several scenes show Kim's classmates giving her the royal treatment by covering puddles, carrying things for her, and getting her autograph. Varying layouts effectively convey the action: larger paintings depict the entire class, while smaller ones capture private moments. A row of faces presented in a diagonal stripe across a spread neatly shows a lie being passed from person to person. Fans of Jane O'Connor's "Fancy Nancy" (HarperCollins) are sure to enjoy this tale.—Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD

K-Gr 2—A farm family is sweltering, hoping for "a thunder-boomer" to relieve the heat. Thompson's illustrations, done in pastels, ink, and watercolor, are full of motion and capture the sensations of the gathering clouds, the rain coming down, the intensity of the storm, and the feeling of cold wetness on the characters. The free-verse storytelling is light, airy, and perfectly matched to the drawings. Readers will enjoy the pictures of the family scurrying home as well as the one of Dad running outside to rescue a stray chicken from the downpour. The ending fully satisfies, as the children discover a wet kitten after the storm and appropriately name it Thunder-Boomer.—Adrienne Wilson, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, Monroe, CT

PreS-Gr 1—In this fourth tale about Jessica, the first grader is being picked on by a classmate. Brenda doesn't like it when Jessica does something better so she makes fun of the child's "toothpick" legs, derides her kickball abilities, and ostracizes her from the "popular" lunch table. The final straw is when her mother mistakenly gives Jessica her little brother's "boy" lunchbox and Brenda teases her about it in front of the other children. After Jessica breaks down in tears at home, her mother offers two rather simplistic options for dealing with the dilemma: tell the bully how you feel or tell the teacher and let him take care of the situation. When Brenda bothers Jessica the next day, Jessica finally decides that "Enough [is] enough!" and easily devastates Brenda with a few well-chosen words without stooping to her level of meanness. Entertaining pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations clearly illuminate the tale while deftly revealing the characters' variety of emotions. Not many bullies could be so easily defeated, but in a story for young children, a lesson in how to stand up for oneself is always welcome.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Gr 2–5—At first glance, these titles appear to be small, hardcover comics. They are, in fact, colorful, action-packed chapter books with loads of appeal. All are original, modern works, but firmly based on the comics that inspired them. The brevity of each volume results in a quick-moving plot with a minimum of development. The writing is generally clear and doesn't come across as dumbed down. Although background information about the characters is provided, it is assumed that readers are already fairly familiar with these well-known superheroes. Each title includes discussion questions and writing prompts, upping the classroom-connection opportunities. The bold, vibrant illustrations have a crisp, retro style that pairs nicely with the adventures. Sound effects are displayed in expressive fonts that stand out from the rest of the text. Light, brisk pleasure reading that students, particularly reluctant readers, will be clamoring for.—Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI

K-Gr 2—As his family heads to the beach, Gilbert the possum knows he's forgotten something important. After perusing a book on sharks and jellyfish, his younger sister declares that she will not be swimming. When Mother reminds Lola about her brand-new swimsuit, Gilbert remembers exactly what he's forgotten. Of course, the cool "Surfer Dude" swim trunks that he finds at the beachfront shop are too large for him, but he's determined to have them. He's flattened by one wave and then, after one brief exhilarating ride on his boogie board, loses his trunks to another. He then joins Lola in the little pool that they dug in the sand and—impossibly—is filled with water. Like his oversize swim trunks, Gilbert's ambitions to become Surfer Dude are a bit too big to fit just yet. His adventures might also be a bit too small for a three-chapter beginning reader. Illustrated with average cartoon artwork, this dull title has little child appeal. Dori Chaconas's "Cork and Fuzz" books (Viking) make a bigger splash. Consider Surfer Dude if Gilbert has a following.—Neala Arnold, St. Francis Elementary School, MN

PreS—This charmingly illustrated take on a reassuring adult-child relationship crosses the line into saccharine and obscure. The text, presumably from the point of view of the child, describes all of the ways she and her grandfather play, spend time together, and support one another. Each rhyming verse incorporates in some form the words "me" and "you." Unfortunately, the voice is adult in tone and sentiment, with phrases such as "tickling ivories," and "On days when being me feels like/the sky was painted black,/you and I together roll/along a brighter track." The mostly full-bleed, color-saturated illustrations depicting a fully dressed little girl bear and her bespectacled grandfather are expressive and appealing. With a painterly feel that showcases the versatility of the computer medium and effective use of color and shadows reflecting the mood of the story, the artwork easily outshines the overly sweet verses. Books about unconditional love are a dime a dozen, and this one breaks no new ground.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

PreS-K—Dewdney's third book in the series retains the charm of the earlier titles. This time the little llama is starting school. He feels shy and lonely and misses his mama, but the day is saved by friendly intervention from his teacher and classmates. She reassures him, "Don't be sad, new little llama!/It's OK to miss your mama./But don't forget—/when day is through,/she will come right back to you." The children invite him to play and keep him busy and happy until his mother arrives. In a satisfying conclusion, the little llama realizes that he can love both Mama and school. Emotionally realistic storytelling, a bouncing rhythm, skilled rhyming, and expressive paintings in bright colors make for a pleasing package. Youngsters just beginning school will relate to Llama Llama's feelings, and caregivers will appreciate the story's supportive message.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

PreS-Gr 2—In her search for the best pet, a child explains her likes and dislikes as she surveys a parade of pooches. Which, then, is the perfect dog? Most are rejected—the posh dog, speedy dog, gruff dog, or snappy dog. Even the snooty, "fancy, attitudey" dog is NOT what this child wants. She's looking for a "not-too-proud or loud dog," a "know-me-in-the-crowd dog"—simply one to play with and call her own. In short, she's searching for a true friend. The artwork is a colorful creation of mixed media, and the collage of textures pops off the pages. A greyhound speeds across grass, while the feathery fluff of loose hair and fleas on one pooch invites readers to truly feel like the "itchy, scritchy, scratchy, twitchy" dog. Dodd's illustrations convey emotions with simple lines, and well-placed dots show expressive eyes. Varying font sizes and concise text describe the canine choices. This title is for dog lovers everywhere.—Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX

PreS—In the first title, well-meaning friends interrupt Hector the pig's quiet moment with Tilly, a pink-cheeked little girl. After a short sulk and some attempts to cheer him up, he is appeased by a painting she does of him and equilibrium is restored. In the second title, Tilly's reading is interrupted when Tiptoe the bunny asks her to play with him, and she joins her animal companions to "Rooty-toot-toot!" and "Boom! Boom! Boom!" with musical instruments. Doodle the alligator can be seen chewing on anything in sight: cookies, Tilly's book, even the plate. Pru the hen insists that everyone follow her in a pretty-prance parade that leads to a ride on Tumpty the elephant's back until, "Oh dear—too much fun!" Tilly declares that it's time for a story, pulls out her book (mercifully unscathed from Doodle's earlier snack attack), and begins to read about the six best friends who live in a little yellow house. Lovely, soothing drawings in gentle pastel colors with just a touch of humor are perfectly suited to toddlers. Varying typefaces communicate changes in volume and move the action along. Fans of Helen Oxenbury's "Tom and Pippo" series (S & S) will love these titles.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Los Angeles Public Library

PreS-Gr 3—Ever since President Obama announced that his daughters would have a puppy, the world began speculating about what kind of dog would come to the White House. Here, the Feiffers put their own comical spin on the situation as Jules amusingly expands Kate's whimsical, heartwarming tale with loose, fluid black lines embellished with scruffy warm colors. As the story plays out, it isn't only humans who are interested in the First Puppy to be. Animals everywhere begin vying for the role. One making a pitch is Sam, the guinea pig who thinks he would make a very pleasing puppy. The greatest contest occurs in the canine kingdom, where eventually a roly-poly dog settles the brouhaha with the proclamation that "ancient custom dictates that a true presidential puppy must have two rings around one paw, a heart on its face, an eye that winks, and a tail that tells time." Finally, an old Basset hound from Mississippi declares that "the girls will get three pets instead of one." Off to Washington, the trio arrives at the White House, where the Feiffers concoct just the right welcome for the threesome and a highly satisfying and perfect ending to a captivating story.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

Gr 2–4—A slice of history is served à la Florentine for the delectation of curious minds in this revealing portrait of genius Filippo Brunelleschi. Determined and stubborn, he vies with a more physically and cosmetically advantaged rival in a competition to select the designer and builder of a dome to grace Renaissance Florence's grand cathedral. Estrada's excellent watercolor and gouache illustrations detail 1400s Florence perfectly, from costumes to workshops to construction sites to the soaring towers projecting above the red rooftops crammed inside the city walls. Fern's humorous text brings Pippo's crabby persona to cranky life as he ponders, sketches, schemes, calculates, and competes his way to a glorious completed dome and lasting fame. Extended author's and illustrator's notes answer questions that may be raised by the simple text, and a short list of resources (adult materials) is appended. This neat blend of fact and fiction is as seamlessly constructed as the intricate brickwork of the dome on the Duomo.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Gr 2–5—As long as children must endure the whims of tyrannical teachers, there will be an appreciative audience for a book such as this. Miss Breakbone suffers no fools; she refers to her class as "fiddling, twiddling, time-squandering...dunderheads!" Her militaristic form is capped by severe red hair and a menacing mouth; the latter is wide open and shrieking insults on the first page. Her alligator purse, warden-style key ring, and electric chair offer further inklings into her psyche. She makes Viola Swamp look like Glenda the Good Witch. When she confiscates Junkyard's latest find and makes him cry, the class reaches the tipping point. They devise elaborate plans to retrieve the treasure from the teacher's fortresslike home. The talents of the children in this diverse group are foreshadowed by their nicknames, e.g., Spider, Spitball, Google-Eyes, and Hollywood. Together, the Dunderheads are a formidable force, and Roberts's quirky watercolor and ink interpretations of Fleischman's deadpan humor and impeccable pacing produce hilarious results. The compositions are a pleasing mixture of busy scenes, with funny or important details rendered via judicious touches of color, gray washes, and black line work and ample white space. The spreads are sometimes defined by "panels," whose straight and curved lines form unexpected shapes and add another element of excitement to the dynamic diagonals and extreme perspectives. This book will raise an adult eyebrow or two, but young readers will relish each solution in this satisfying celebration of multiple intelligences, teamwork, and kid power.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Gr 2–4—A little boy lives behind a barbed-wire fence in the ruins of an unspecified war-ravaged village. One day he finds a tiny green shoot growing amid the rubble, and he carefully nurtures it until it slowly becomes a glorious grapevine. Birds and butterflies come, and the children make it their playground. Soldiers uproot it, but in the spring the boy sees a little girl nurturing some green shoots on the other side of the fence where the soldiers had flung the uprooted vine. He then finds some small shoots on his side, and the two vines grow until they merge at the top of the fence. "Let the soldiers return, thought the boy. Roots are deep, and seeds spread…." The book ends with him envisioning a day when the fence will truly disappear and children can walk again in the hills on the other side. Foreman's pencil and watercolor illustrations make effective use of color as the bleak charcoal grays of the initial landscape are transformed by the soft green of the vine and the bright colors of the creatures that come to inhabit it. The story might work best in a group setting with older children where discussion could focus on what the vine represents in its various stages, and it works as an allegory for situations that exist in various parts of the world today.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

PreS-Gr 1—When the king and queen ask their daughter what she would like for her birthday—ruby roller skates? a gold bicycle? a rocking zebra?—Princess Arabella screams, "I already have all those things!" She wants something different—an elephant—whereupon the king sends his footmen to find one for her. However, instead of playing with the demanding child, the elephant cries and asks to be taken home. The princess is unsympathetic, concerned merely about getting wet or drowning in a puddle of tears. She reluctantly agrees to the request, only to find that the animal has, in fact, taken her back home as a present for her own offspring. Large images are filled with warm colors and patterns and suggest an African setting. The petulant princess is convincingly portrayed with her arms folded or her hands on her hips. Unfortunately, the message of this cautionary tale—be careful about what you wish for—does not come across clearly, and consequently the story feels incomplete and a bit flat.—Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

K-Gr 3—Roth's vibrant illustrations capture the personality of Cassidy-Li, the six-year-old narrator who tells her story in unaffected language that will appeal to children. Being "Star of the Week" is an exciting adventure for many youngsters, but it can cause anxiety for those who were adopted. Spunky Cassidy-Li has a memory box brimming with baby photos, but she also draws pictures and decorates her "star" poster to fill in gaps in her life. "I think about my birthparents a lot"; "Mom, Dad and I have talked about all the reasons people can't take care of their babies"; "I decide to draw a picture of my birthparents for my poster." The class applauds her presentation, and the close-ups of her doing myriad activities with friends and relatives make it clear that the child is proud of her Chinese heritage. Part of the book is formatted as labeled snapshots in an album, and through these pictures readers meet Cassidy-Li's friends and family. The story has universal appeal, making it a good choice for a read-aloud.—Deborah Vose, Highlands Elementary School, Braintree, MA

PreS-Gr 2—This award-winning duo delivers a new romp "through a labyrinth of hair." Bonnie, the intrepid young heroine, encounters an odd fellow with a masklike face and comments on his long, wavy locks. Affronted, he defends his do: "In my hair/Gorillas leap,/Tigers stalk,/And ground sloths sleep…. Hunters send in/Expeditions,/Radio back/Their positions/Still, we've lost/a dozen there/Lost inside my crazy hair." McKean's computer-enhanced, mixed-media illustrations offer a wondrous interpretation of the outrageous objects enumerated by Gaiman: cockatoos are composed in feathery, neon strokes; transparent hot-air balloons expose intricate collage interiors; leaping dancers radiate color. Many of the scenes have a blurry, dreamlike quality, suggesting movement or a hint of foreboding. The hair varies in density from slender strands to massive jungles to tubular trunks, as under a microscope. The text for this surreal poem (at times a bit awkward) curves, spills, vibrates, and dangles, graphically signaling the mood and the message. Viewers will want to follow closely the design on Bonnie's T-shirt; its transformations offer emotional cues and are partially responsible for the scary/safe feeling readers have after she combs the hair and is pulled inside. This imaginative concoction fits perfectly with Deborah Nourse Lattimore's The Lady with the Ship on Her Head (Harcourt, 1990) to celebrate the potential of hair with a life of its own.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

PreS-Gr 2—What if the prehistoric ancestors of today's mega-utility trucks and 18-wheelers were really dinosaurs? This zany and riotous ride spoofs the evolutionary roots of contemporary trucks. Gall's posterlike spreads, rendered in strong black line and fiery, bold colors, use every square inch of space to convey the energy and witty detail of a dangerous ancient world in which part truck, part dinosaur creatures ruled. Chomping, digging, honking, and rolling, such fearsome creatures as "Craneosaurus," "Dumploducus," and "Blacktopadon" were huge, hungry, and decidedly unhelpful, scaring every caveman and cavewoman in sight. A million years later, a terrible storm doomed these crossbreed vehicles to a slow, rusty decline, sending a few hardy survivors on their way south in search of better weather and a more cooperative way of life. Modern-day descendants of the ancient "dinotrux" are on the job in many helpful ways—but a visual joke on the last page underscores that those in museum displays might not be so extinct after all. Blending the endless appeal of dinosaurs and trucks in one hilarious volume, this title will be hard to keep on the shelves.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

PreS-Gr 3—Tony Gemignani, aka Tossing Tony, and his friends form a team from across the U.S. and travel to Italy where they vie for the World Pizza Championship. This competition is more than just making a tasty pie—its focus is on the skill of pizza tossing. Recipes and instructions are included. Photographs of the world champs at the end confirm that this story is based on real events and people. The mixed-media illustrations successfully capture the glee and high energy involved in pizza tossing. White paint splatters make the work appear covered with flour. A delightfully palatable selection.—Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

Gr 1–3—In this fanciful tale, Mr. and Mrs. Portly are delighted when they find a small, orange-striped kitten in the cushions of their sofa and raise her as their longed-for child. As Minifred grows older, they dress her in clothes and feed her from a spoon. When it comes time to go to school, Minifred is pleased; she learns the alphabet and enjoys finger painting, but thinks that the rules are not for her. One day, after leading a chase around the building, she ends up in the principal's office, which does not bother her at all. Instead, she jumps out the window, grabs onto a kite tail, and takes a spin on the weather vane. Called in to the office, the Portlys are joined by Minifred and look on as the principal reviews The Big Rule Book. To everyone's surprise, she finds that "All students must obey…. Except kittens, who must do exactly as they like!" Gerstein matches the story's lighthearted mood with action-packed scenes, using playful colors, caricatured figures, and sometimes multiple scenes per page, increasing the sense of action. The closing sentence—"Then she jumped out the window after a butterfly"—leaves readers with an open ending. Is Minifred off on another adventure where she is sure to land on her feet or is disaster finally about to befall the naughty cat?—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

K-Gr 2—As the marine denizens are settling down to breakfast, a wooden crate falls near them, and the bluefish warns that it might be a trap. Then they realize that the flounder is missing, and the shy hermit crab becomes a hero when he dons the top half of a toy action figure he finds in the water and inadvertently releases the trapped fish. Deliberate pacing advances the impending action, and the affirming conclusion fully completes the offbeat narrative. The personal tone engages the audience, bringing immediacy to the plot, and serves as a warm contrast to the cool illustrations. Goodrich's colored pencil and watercolor spreads predominately feature greens and blues to convey the watery depth of the sea. Animated expressions result in humorous interactions among the varied characters, and the crab's fully realized disguise enhances the development of this slight story.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

PreS-Gr 2—On a perfect summer day, Molly the mouse and her friends are delighted when the country fair comes to town. They enjoy the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, pony rides, puppet shows, fun house, and games. To mark the occasion, instead of buying a memento or food, Molly decides to buy balloons for her friends and herself. Before anyone can say, "Up, up and away," she is. The bouquet of balloons floats her over the fairgrounds, meadows, hills, and river to the outskirts of town where her friends finally catch up with her. Gorbachev's full-color spreads and panels—done in a soft palette of watercolor and gouache, accented with ink—celebrate the pleasures and adventures of this day. The momentum of the lively illustrations is a perfect match for the spirited text and creates an inviting story of friendship, sharing, and fun.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

PreS—A boy asks his father what he will be when he grows up. He looks around his world for inspiration, from the rain that grows into the river ("'You could be like me,' said the raindrop") to the shadow that becomes the night. In the end, he declares he'll be just like his dad. The simple and poetic artwork was done in acrylic and mixed media on die-cut pages. A single image is cut into each spread. This hole then acts as a transition to the next. Added fun is provided at the end, where the child is shown painting the previous pages. The exploration of his world gives this father-and-son selection a refreshing take on a familiar theme.—Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

K-Gr 4—It's nighttime, and young Rose looks out her window toward the ocean. "Enchanted lions climb out of the sea/And shake their manes to dry./They caper and slap,/Snarl and purr./They nuzzle and nip/And lazily lick each other's fur." She makes friends with one of them, and soon she is riding on his back high in the sky among the stars. The rhyming quatrains contain some memorable imagery: "The blossoms of a pear tree/Suddenly rustle and sigh." Beautiful illustrations display shooting stars and dramatic visualizations of the constellations. Rose's radiant red hair and the lion's vibrant golden figure glow against the deep blue sky and serene green sea. There is a lovely picture of Rose and her lion hugging. The creature's golden mane may remind readers of William Pene Du Bois' fanciful depiction of the regal beast in Lion (Viking, 1956; o.p.). The illustrations are lovely, but the text is a bit slow in engaging readers in this adventure in the sky.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

Gr 1–3—In a wonderfully subversive reinterpretation of a Humpty Dumpty-like tale, an egg longs to fly and imagines different ways to do it. Since it is young and doesn't really know much about aerodynamics, it figures a 583-step tower is the key to its dream. As the Egg steps off the top with the cry: "Whee! I am flying," readers see that, in fact, it is dropping like a stone. Various macabre means are used to try to repair the shell, but to no avail. The book ends with a contented fried egg on a breakfast plate and the words, "Luckily, the Egg was not wasted." The mixed-media and collage full-color art is quirky and inventive with multiple perspectives, and imbues the Egg with personality—quite a feat in itself. Pair this tale with Kara LaReau's Ugly Fish (Harcourt, 2006) and Jeanne Willis's Tadpole's Promise (S & S, 2005) for a delectably dark storytime for older children.—Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

Gr 3–5—A.J. loves Pee Wee Football, but he is the first to admit that his team "stinks." He's hoping that a new coach will lead them to a few wins this season. His enthusiasm dims when he learns that Coach Hyatt is a woman. She calls them ragamuffins, a term none of the boys understands, and has them tackling an Elvis dummy who sings, "Don't Be Cruel." Can this motley team really win Saturday's big game with the Sharks? The sentences are simple, there is vocabulary repetition with a smattering of challenging words, and the humor is very broad. The politically correct cheerleaders are a scream: "Winning! Losing! It depends!/Why can't we just all be friends?" There is even a "win one for the Gipper" reference that will go over the heads of third graders, but is funny nonetheless. With the team down 77-0, Coach Hyatt brings in a secret weapon. It is cheerleader Andrea, who almost singlehandedly wins the game, while A.J. saves his coach with his knowledge of the Heimlich maneuver. There is some graphic support for younger readers in the kooky black-and-white cartoon illustrations scattered throughout. Even the most reluctant reader will be drawn in by the humor and repetitive silliness. Add where beginning chapter books are needed.—Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

K-Gr 3—First released in Britain in 1996, Haddon's work has been reissued and re-titled to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing. The author recalls his childhood fascination with space and the thrill he had watching two astronauts "bouncing slowly through the dust in the Sea of Tranquility like giants in slow motion." The book ends with the author, now an adult, thinking back on the footprints that those brave men left behind. Young readers will identify with the boy's interest in the solar system, particularly the Moon. Birmingham's nostalgia-tinged illustrations have a dreamlike quality and provide readers a glimpse into both the boy's and astronauts' separate worlds until, in a wonderful spread, both worlds join as a third tiny astronaut is seen bouncing on the Moon with Armstrong and Aldrin. The pairing of text and art creates a wonderful read-aloud with which to celebrate a milestone in the history of mankind.—Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA

PreS-Gr 2—On the first night of summer, with the moon high in the sky, mermaids swim toward the beach. Making party preparations, the magical creatures spread out seaweed carpets and decorate low hanging branches with strings of pearls and coral beads. After a feast, two of the mermaids play shell instruments while their friends join hands and dance in the sea. Soon "wild creatures of the ocean" and forest animals "twirled and played in the waves, bringing in the new season." Jones's pastel illustrations show the dreamlike festivities both above and below water. A magical fantasy to celebrate the summer solstice.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

PreS-Gr 2—When Ellen is born, a parade of relatives arrives to provide career advice. Uncle Otis suggests that she become a fisherman, Aunt Clara recommends dancing, Uncle Peter proposes bird-watching, and Aunt Rachel urges her to study Sanskrit, Javascript, Greek, and Chinese. Other relatives advocate for careers as a pilot, veterinarian, musician, truck driver, cyclist, painter, potter, and professional athlete. Overwhelmed by the barrage of ideas, the infant lets out a scream, and all the extended family members finally agree that "burbling and cooing, sucking and burping, babbling and yawning, sleeping and even yowling" are all noble pursuits for now. The bright, expressive ink-and-watercolor illustrations on cream-colored paper give the book a timeless appearance. Select dialogue appears in multicolored, large-sized lettering that dances on the pages and blends with the art. While the new-baby bookshelf is rather crowded, the message of doing whatever your heart desires will appeal to all children, even those who are not welcoming a new sibling into their home.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

K-Gr 2—The simple premise of this picture book is that God has created everyone to fulfill a purpose, and that they should be the best they can be. On each spread, God queries a different creature, culminating with a child. "This year, little giraffe, my dear little giraffe,/Did you eat the highest leaves on the tree,/Happy that I'd chosen you to make a path for the sun?/…Were you the best little giraffe that you could be?" At the end, God waits for a resounding and unanimous "Yes," and rewards the creatures with the world at its best. Jay uses oil paint on paper with a crackle varnish to add an antique appearance to the muted pastels. The people and animals are stylized depictions, with unnaturally small feet that add to their charm. Once the narrative conceit is established, the story loses some of its momentum to predictability, though it is revived by its treatment of people's greater responsibility to one another and the final listing of God's creations' accomplishments and place in the world. Match this title with Pattie Schnetzler's Earth Day Birthday (Dawn, 2004) and Linda Glaser's Our Big Home (Millbrook, 2000) for an Earth appreciation day any day of the year.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC

PreS-Gr 2—The students in Mr. Lee's class count all they see on their field trip to the apple farm, starting with 20 name tags and ending with 1 lost tooth. Incorporating cheerful dialogue and rhyming text, this easy-to-read book also introduces facts about apples ("An apple has five holes,/each with seeds inside,'/says Clyde"). Each number is presented in numerical format inside a red apple and also spelled out in red letters in the text. The vibrant watercolor illustrations are dominated by primary colors, and the excitement shows on the smiling faces of the students as they count 14 cows, 13 ducks, and 12 rows of trees. Readers will be counting right along with them and will also enjoy the facts on the endpapers.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

K-Gr 2—This slight, predictable picture book features a young panda and monkey who are on a springtime trek to the top of a mountain where Panda hopes to share a secret. Noisy, overexcited Monkey complains that Panda is too slow and careful, but he later comes to appreciate those traits when his friend saves him from drowning. In the end, Monkey apologizes to Panda, and the two get to see the special secret—thousands of mountain butterflies flying in the air. The acrylic paintings, with shiny metallic purple butterflies on the cover and final spread, seem more commercial than enchanting. The story is well paced and the artwork is large and appealing, making the book easy to read to a group or one-on-one. A sweet offering about friendship and appreciating the beauty of nature.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

PreS-Gr 2—Similar to Mordicai Gerstein's misbehaving main character in Minifred Goes to School (HarperCollins, 2009), Hurd's bad frogs—170 of them—revel in mischievous conduct and generate chaos wherever they go. Whether jumping in muck, slurping ice cream, burping at the dinner table, fighting with toothbrushes, or skateboarding down stair railings, the delightfully green, yellow-tinged characters prance across the pages in an array of costumes, entertaining viewers with their antics. The artwork gleams with Hurd's shiny bright colors, and his swinging text, presented in bold purple, trumpets the frogs' badness as they romp through the action-packed illustrations. When the narrative queries, "Could they be good?/Could they be quiet?" the resounding answer is "No way!" In fact, at story's end, the critters "fall out of bed," jump out of windows, and frolic on rooftops beneath the moon and stars, "bad frogs FOREVER." Youngsters are sure to chuckle each time they turn a page.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

PreS-Gr 1—The red squirrel siblings from Hooray for Snow! (NorthSouth, 2009) are captivated by new seasonal discoveries. High in the treetops, Mick, Mack, and Molly observe caterpillars eating leaves and bees drinking nectar. When the trio discover a hungry baby bird, they search for something to feed him. Such epicurean offerings as pinecones and cherry blossoms are flatly refused with a shake of the head and flap of the wings. While the squirrels are considering other choices ("Mushrooms? Walnuts? Milk?"), Mama bird returns with a "fat green worm in her mouth!" Iwamura's delicate ink and watercolor illustrations have pale green and pink backgrounds. The squirrels have a sweet-natured lack of guile and are shown making hopeful food presentations on bended knee and reacting with open-mouthed surprise as the bird gobbles up the worm. A gentle springtime tale.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

PreS-Gr 1—In this ironically titled tale, Peter loves pretending to be a dog, but he annoys his parents and teachers by begging at the dinner table, eating his homework, chewing both the mail and the mailman, and shaking water onto the floor. Mom finally loses it: "BAD DOG!" Peter morosely gives up his canine ways, only to find a new obsession. Jarka's colorful comic-strip-style illustrations drive the humor with one visual joke after another. For example, Peter displays his excellent hearing by showing up just as readers see the cookie box being opened. Touches like Mom's flipped hairdo and Dad's Fred Flintstone-style schnoz give the computer art a retro feel. Children will appreciate both the absurdity of Peter's behavior and Jarka's delivery. Every collection needs lighthearted fare with strong boy appeal, and Love That Puppy! fits the bill.—Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI

K-Gr 2—After Bobby ignores a multitude of warnings from his family and neighbors, his high jinks finally catch up with him. Jumping across rooftops causes his head to crack open; once freed, his brain makes a break for it, leaving poor Bobby, "as dumb as an onion." Bright watercolors depict the child's kinetic antics. Everyone's enlisted in capturing his runaway brain, with Grandpa setting out "brain traps, using flash cards as bait." (Meanwhile, the brain lurks in a nearby manhole.) Finally, "acting on gut instinct alone," Bobby corners it, and the two of them reach an uneasy truce. The boy's vacant stare and goofball somersaults seem to be present in nearly equal measure with or without his brain. Kids who enjoy the gross-out humor of Tedd Arnold's Parts (Dial, 1997) will like this.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Los Angeles Public Library

K-Gr 3—In this wordless picture book, an eclectic group of animals takes a journey transporting, among many other items, two cherry-topped, yellow-filled cakes. Along the way, mishaps and adventures occur, including crossing a raging river, fighting a shark, and climbing a very steep hill. When the animals finally reach their picnic destination, they uncover the trays, and the cakes are no longer there. Havoc ensues as the animals accuse one another, but the question is: Who stole them? Children will delight in the large trim size and spreads, and the plethora of character details as they move through the story's landscape. Fans of Martin Handford's "Where's Waldo?" books (Candlewick), Jean Marzollo's "I Spy" series (Scholastic), and the author's Where Is the Cake? (Abrams, 2007) will eat this one up.—Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MD

K-Gr 3—Kimmel has pulled the pork from "The Three Little Pigs," wrapped it in masa, and cooked up another traditional tale flavored with Southwestern spice. Three little tamales cooling on the windowsill of Tía Lupe and Tío José's taquería receive a heads-up from a runaway tortilla ("If I stay here, someone's going to eat me. You'll be eaten, too. You'd better run!"). The tamales leap down and take off as fast as their cornhusk legs will carry them. The first one (a real doll with long eyelashes and a bow headband) runs to the prairie and builds a casita of sagebrush, the second (sporting a curled mustache) stops in a field and builds a casita of cornstalks, and the third (wearing round red spectacles)—such a smarty—runs all the way to the desert and builds a casita of cactus. Along comes Señor Lobo, and youngsters will be able to guess the rest. This Big Bad Wolf threatens the tamales with a comedic flair ("I'll huff and I'll puff/like a Texas tornado/and blow your casita/from here to Laredo!"), his breath swirling in a burst of color and energy. Done in a palette of gold, green, and blue, the action-packed spreads blend the exaggerated gestures and expressions of cartoons with the rich color and texture of oil on paper. The colorful artwork combines with a text brimming with humor and sound effects ("Ay! Ay! Ay!") for a delightful parody sure to satisfy readers' appetite for fun.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Gr 1–3—Hamlet Piggins inherits a café from his uncle, which he turns into a successful cooking school with the help of his family and friends. The three episodes are set in a whimsical world with frilly names for the characters and places. From Foxearth Fen to Molefurrow Market, Kneen's old-fashioned watercolor illustrations, depicting Sniggery Woods and its denizens, are well suited to the story, a seeming homage to the work of Beatrix Potter. However, the overabundance of modifiers and unnecessary details obscures the action and renders the cast of animals one-dimensional plot propellers, undifferentiated and not endearing. The general idea is solid, but the stories move along in fits and starts, none of them truly satisfying. Hamlet can't compare to classic pigs Wilbur and Babe, and for a more modern but equally charismatic pig, Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson reigns supreme.—Rebecca Dash, New York Public Library

PreS-Gr 1—The wacky crocodiles are back for another rollicking adventure. They head to the woods for an all-out summer camping trip that includes hiking, climbing, crossing a stream, bird watching, pitching a tent, enjoying nature, and a cookout. Songs and stories around the campfire complete a perfect day, until it's time to sleep. The dark tent and quiet amplify every noise in the woods, which creates anxieties as the mighty crocs spook themselves with one of their own shadows. All is not lost when they decide to finish their camping experience closer to home. Nash's humorous illustrations in black Prismacolor pencil and Photoshop are bright, colorful, and peppered with playful details that will delight young children. One amusing scene shows the group in "freeze!" mode when suddenly surrounded by a swarm of bees. Larkin's spare, rhyming text is just enough for a rousing storytime with a group of day campers or for sharing one-on-one. Pair this tale with Todd Parr's Otto Goes to Camp (Little, Brown, 2004) for an upbeat themed read.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

PreS-Gr 1—Bear and Rabbit share everything—a house, the cooking, and stories. One morning, Rabbit sees something shiny in the grass. The object turns out to be a torn balloon in which they can see themselves. Bear grabs onto it, and Rabbit does too. They pull and tug on it, each coming away with a piece. Angrily, the friends storm off in different directions. As the day goes by, Bear and Rabbit miss one another and wonder how to repair their friendship. They meet in the yard outside their house, apologizing for being so selfish. They put the two fragments together and see—surprise—a perfect picture of themselves. Soft colors, expressive characters, and a metallic balloon make this a highly appealing story about friends having differences and finding a way to make up.—Linda Staskus, Parma Regional Library, OH

Gr 2–4—Eufala and Bog's Nana is no run-of-the-mill grandma. She is a card-carrying deep-sea fisherman, a backhoe operator, and substitute tightrope walker, unbeknownst to her daughter, Elaine. Now, after reading a want ad in the paper—"Detective, Must be very sneaky and own various wigs"—Nana is ready to take on the job (not that she'd ever admit to being sneaky). Meanwhile, Elaine has just fired the children's 37th babysitter. After being left at home alone, the mischievous siblings escape their house with their skateboards. When they all meet up at the police station, the entire family sets out to find out who stole a case of Yumdums candy from 2500 Devour St. Full of quirky humor and interesting characters, this is a well-developed, fast-paced mystery for early chapter-book readers. The pen-and-ink illustrations on most pages are very funny; especially amusing are the maps of the city that show Nana's route as she "loses" the police station (more than once). Nana, Eufala, and Bog do crack the case but, more importantly, they'll make children crack up with delight.—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ

Gr 2–4—Lasky and Eitan imagine a day in O'Keeffe's life when her home was an adobe ranch in New Mexico. The text builds slowly, matching pace with the elderly woman waking in the predawn, stretching, savoring the smell of sagebrush, and arranging black stones in the courtyard before stepping into the desert to paint. The palette changes as time passes, from deep blues and blacks through gray-greens to the lavender that was the purpose of the artist's rising. Viewers see her figure framed by window openings from various distances until the light is just right; then, a spread with sloping hills descending to the center places the moonlit artist on the left and the bright bone she is painting on the right. Lasky's prose (based on O'Keeffe's letters, according to an author's note) lays a marvelous foundation for looking at the artist's iconic images in books listed in the bibliography—finding a flower "so big that people will have to look at it" or the ladder she used to climb "into the sky." Eitan's textured brushwork interprets O'Keeffe's obsessions stylistically, emphasizing the essence of forms and the effect of changing light. A biographical note accompanies a photograph of O'Keeffe, one reproduction, and citations for quotes. With its emphasis on the artist's early years, Jen Bryant's Georgia's Bones (Eerdmans, 2005) would serve as an interesting introduction. In addition to obvious curricular and programmatic uses, Lasky's book is perfect for kids whose pockets and imaginations are filled with outdoor treasures.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

PreS-Gr 3—Henry can not stand still. This is a problem, since herons must stand still in order to hunt for food. One day he becomes separated from his family at the pond. When he gets hungry, he realizes, "I can do this, I can catch myself something to eat." After several failed yet amusing attempts, he meets "THE GREAT BLUE HERON, the heron of all herons," who teaches him a trick, and the impatient Henry learns to stand still. Love's simple text imparts an important lesson, while Wald's fun, playful, yet realistic illustrations complement the narrative. Fact boxes and information about herons are appended. Lesson plans, quizzes, and additional support are all available through the publisher's Web site.—Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ

K-Gr 2—Seven furry, feathered, and scaly critters create a Trojan Horse-like dinosaur to scare off the nefarious Plas-Tic Trees factory's demolition team from clear-cutting their sylvan paradise. It works, until their jerry-rigged T. rex trips over a cable and collapses—with them inside—and the jig is up. The local news media, already at the site to report on the dinosaur, has a scoop: these animals turn out to be endangered species. With their woods subsequently declared a nature preserve, the friends' teamwork pays off. In this fanciful story line, the animals' various personalities reveal themselves in numerous amusing asides. The cartoonlike mixed-media collage illustrations are full of attractive texture, dimension, and color. The surefire appeal of dinosaurs is further enhanced by the author's instructions on how to build a model with recycled materials. This title's generous trim size, cleanly rendered illustrations, and fast-paced text are perfect for group read-alouds or one-on-one sharing.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

PreS-Gr 1—Quiet Bunny "loves the sounds of the forest" and goes on a quest to find one he can make. After he tries to imitate a bird, bull frog, bat, cricket, and more, an owl advises him: "Be whoooooo you are, and you will find your own bunny sound." The lovely, large paintings depict a cuddly, fuzzy-looking bunny wandering through the woods. At last, his "tHUmP-da-DUM, tHUMP" draws the equally appealing denizens to him on a moonlit night, the scene depicted in a foldout spread. The text is full of onomatopoeic words, often incorporated into the illustrations, creating a pleasing link between story and picture. The message is obvious but not pedantic. This book is a natural read-aloud, allowing kids to join in the telling of the story.—Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY

PreS-Gr 2—Getting ready for picture day is a little different at a school where the student body is made up of art materials, including "Sequins,/Squiggles,/Glittering Stars,/Fuzzy Pom-Poms,/and Twisty Yarns." The unseen teacher takes roll and discovers that someone is missing. Glue, having been stuck in traffic, arrives just in the nick of time. Anticipation builds as readers wonder how these parts will come together. Then four pages fold out to show a teacher made of paper cups, pipe cleaners, and a fabric skirt taking a picture of her class. With bodies constructed from clothespins, milk cartons, and balls of yarn, these fanciful students are adorned with Easter grasses, "Odd-shaped Glasses," buttons, strings, and feathers. The spare, rhyming text lightly moves the action along, allowing the illustrations to bring the story to life. The cut-paper artwork is presented on brightly colored spreads, and the dynamic layouts are varied and filled with action. This new twist on picture day will delight youngsters and send them searching for art materials to make a crafty class of their own.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

Pres-Gr 1—According to a note to parents, this book is intended to help children notice the shapes that appear around them by presenting an animal that has been created from them. Beginning with two circles, the boldly colored spreads layer die-cut shapes one on top of another to make a final image. The left-hand pages offer short clues about the creature that is being assembled (e.g., "I had round eyes"). On the right, dark purple pages mask the upcoming die cuts and identify each newly introduced shape. The completed creature unfolds and stretches across three pages, revealing "A Brachiosaurus." However, the sharp, seemingly ferocious teeth are at odds with the typical depiction of this large herbivore. Overall, this work does not shape up as a dinosaur book, but may be useful as an additional purchase to reinforce visual skills.—Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

K-Gr 1—In their third appearance, Cheech the bus driver and his Cheecharrones have some strange students join them because "the first rule of bus driving is that you pick up all of the kids at the bus stop, even the weird-looking ones." When they realize that these new riders are ghosts, they try scaring them away, they sing songs, and even try to chase them off, but to no avail. The bus is mysteriously flown to a ghost town where Cheech meets the ghost bus driver, who is happy to have his "ghostitos" back safe and sound. Ramírez's stylized full-page spreads depict characters that have round foreheads and pointed chins with most of their faces being wide eyes filled with expression. The ghosts are more silly than scary. This is a good title to add if the others are popular.—Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX

PreS-K—Matthies uses rhyme and rhythm well. "Jack Hammer pounds the concrete floor,/Kicks and screams and begs for more." Unfortunately, the color illustrations do not live up to the text. Foil accents on the personified vehicles leave the rest of each spread undistinguished and detract from the trucks themselves. The details revealed when flaps are lifted all show small animals being terrorized by the monster. Skip this one.—Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY

Gr 1–3—When the father of an Orthodox Jewish family buys a car, he enthusiastically demonstrates to his children that they can use it to perform "mitzvos" (good deeds) by giving lifts to all the neighbors. The son, squashed in the back seat, is a bit dubious but ultimately absorbs his father's teaching and envisions growing up to drive a bus. The story models learning by parental example and emphasizes the fact that helping others is worthwhile but not always easy. Cheerful cartoon illustrations and bouncing (if sometimes awkward), rhyming text impart the lesson with a spoonful of sugar. The characters dress in a style typical of observant Jews, and the tight-knit neighborhood fits into the Orthodox lifestyle. Jewish vocabulary and references are included, making this book a good fit for Orthodox readers.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

PreS-K—This joyful book begins on a sunny summer morning as a child explores the outdoors with her teddy bear in tow. As she counts from 1 to 10 in rhyme, an equal number of animals appear on the facing page: "One pig is prancing/Two ducks are dancing/Three chicks are cheeping/Four lambs are leaping." The animals are dressed in old-fashioned outfits or hats, allowing readers to enter the youngster's imagination. The text now becomes a simple story within a story, and is a unique way to present counting. The colored-pencil illustrations are tender and cheerful, adding to the book's overall appeal, and the rhymes work well. Repetitive readings will help with memory and literacy skills. The story ends on a lighthearted note as the young girl feels happy to be part of the beautiful morning and dances with her parents. This title is perfect for interactive one-on-one reading or storytimes. A delightful addition to any counting-book collection.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

Gr 1–3—In Brother, a boy is embarrassed by his sibling's behavior at school. Luckily Billy's brother has a thoughtful teacher who takes the time to educate her students about what it means to have autism, its typical behaviors, and why Billy got upset. When introduced by a caring and knowledgeable adult, this text will be useful. Friend introduces an unnamed camper who gets to know Tammy, a child with Down syndrome. While the girl's narrative is generally engaging, some parts are patronizing and employ stereotypes, and the story does not make clear that Down syndrome has a wide range of manifestations. For example, the camp counselor asks the narrator to be a special friend to Tammy, who is arriving a week after everyone else. She explains that Tammy will be slow and will need extra assistance, especially with the talent show, without knowing anything about her. It turns out that Tammy is outgoing and able to participate in the show but needs help with sports activities. In both books, the pictures and scenarios are appropriate for primary-grade children, but the texts are written at a slightly higher level. Notes to parents emphasize the need to help siblings of children who are autistic (Brother), and explain that it is often difficult to predict how much a person with Down syndrome can achieve (Friend).—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD

PreS-Gr 2—In this fascinating picture book, people are on the go in a variety of ways. Text is kept to a minimum while full-spread artwork carries the story. Firemen put on their gear and then rush to an emergency with their ladder truck. A hot-air balloon is prepared for flight. After being saddled, horses and riders gallop along a steeplechase course. A sea vessel voyages to the depths of the ocean. Pit crews service two racecars, and the action switches to an auto race over an oval track. The full-color illustrations are loaded with pertinent details. Gatefolds, flaps, and fold-out pages vary in size. At times they create a wonderfully energetic sense of motion. The complexity of the art demonstrates the careful planning that went into the book's preparation. Young readers will devour this appealing title. Teachers might use it as a basis for writing story extensions.—Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH

Pres-Gr 2—"It's a quiet morning at the Critter Café./The cook was dozing in his cheese soufflé./The waiter was whistling sleepy tunes…." Then, a busload of hungry animals bursts into the restaurant. The men work frantically to serve the cacophonous crowd and satisfy picky eaters who send dishes back to the kitchen. Ultimately, a skateboarding cow brings a crashing end to the chaos, as bovine meets waiter with fully loaded tray. As food flies, the animals are unceremoniously ordered out. They pile on their bus and leave—except for the cow, who awakens in a pile of mashed potatoes and takes over when the fed-up cook and waiter flee the scene. The overlong text sometimes stretches to come up with a rhyme, and the ending seems a bit contrived. Rendered in mixed media, the muted, sketchy artwork is packed with personality. A zoo full of animals is depicted and set against crackled pastel backgrounds. Though kids will enjoy the food-fight feel of the tumultuous visit, the slight story line may not leave them fully satiated.—Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

K-Gr 3—Being the royal food taster is a treat for Max the dog—until the arrival of a new monarch. Suddenly the cook's delectable meals don't cut it anymore—this king is a picky little boy. Max and the cook travel extensively, looking for new recipes for the temperamental royal, but French fries, tacos, and even pizza are rejected. Soon Max discovers that the king isn't eating because he is gorging himself on sweets every night. Mystery solved, the boy eats, and the cook's life is saved. Oppel's writing is lush: "…and in the Piazza San Marco, we learned of fabulous breads and herbs, sausages and cheeses." Kids will be familiar with the foods Max and the cook discover around the world, but their curiosity will be piqued when they read about peacock, venison, syllabub, and rose puddings. The illustrations were done with a layered mix of acrylic and collage with liberal use of handwritten and printed recipes as backgrounds to create the rich and textured art. Astute children will see the conclusion coming—the king has chocolate wrappers peeking out of his crown throughout the story.—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

K-Gr 2—"Mama, me, and Pepper/always been this way./Never been without him,/even for a day." So starts this story of a boy who learns that, despite the death of his old cat, they will never really be apart. The fact that Pepper is a loved one, not simply a pet, is visually and textually reinforced throughout the book. Because of the touching nature of the story, the use of rhyme seems off the mark and is occasionally forced, diminishing the emotion. Castillo's mixed-media illustrations lay bare the true drama of the story. The family portrait when Pepper is near death, of the boy holding his cat and the mother holding the boy, shows the trio's strength in the face of the inevitable outcome. Castillo does not emphasize the animal's physical deterioration in the pictures; she simply shows a sprightly cat becoming less sprightly, reinforcing the idea that his death is part of a natural cycle. At the end, when the child senses Pepper's spirit in the air and earth around him, there is the understanding that he, too, has reached this conclusion. Big Cat Pepper is not simple bibliotherapy, but neither is it a deep and meaningful study of the ramifications of death on a close-knit family. It falls somewhere in the middle, buoyed by expressive and touching artwork.—Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA

K-Gr 4—"There was a boy who went to bed in despair. All night he dreamed his despair, and he woke to desperation." This compelling first sentence introduces Tillawn, who has lost his beloved dog Bess in nearby Gammers' Meadow. Till returns to sleep and dreams of someone waiting at his garden gate. Very early the next morning he rises to meet an elderly stranger, "one of the old Seekers Finders." Finder leads Till back to the meadow to ask chickens and ducks, a heron, a squirrel, and a mole what they know about Bess's disappearance. The two Miss Gammers, "related in some way" and living beside the meadow in separate cottages, contribute more information. A sketch the younger Miss Gammer made provides a tantalizing clue. Finally, old Miss Gammer's brindled cat, speaking in riddles, suggests a dog thief. Searching for Bess brings Till new friends, but can Finder return his best friend unharmed? Craig's art for this handsomely produced volume includes gentle gray-and-white line drawings set throughout the text, as well as full-page paintings in muted colors. Pearce's consummate craftsmanship makes her story, particular to one place and one family, universally appealing. Her polished prose tells a lyrical and dreamlike tale that demands to be read aloud.—Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams

PreS-Gr 3—Told in staccato rhymes, this playful book celebrates the many pleasures of summer. With phrases such as "Divers,/swimmers,/flat rock skimmers" or "Growers,/weeders,/melon eaters," the clever, spare text describes diverse warm-weather activities. Bright-hued acrylic illustrations bring the expressive verbal images to life. The paintings are festive and entertaining, depicting children climbing trees, playing at the beach, canoeing, picnicking, admiring the stars, catching fireflies, reading, and more. One colorful spread shows several families enjoying Fourth of July fireworks. In both words and pictures, this title delivers the sensory experiences of summer with pure joy. A recipe for mini ice pops and fun facts about their origins are appended. A perfect choice to share with a group or one-on-one, this book will rally children's imaginations and creativity for a spirited discussion, craft project, or writing about this special time of year. Pair it with Raczka and Stead's Who Loves the Fall? and Spring Things (both Albert Whitman, 2007) for a seasons theme.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

PreS-Gr 2—Radunsky offers up a riff on Chris Raschka's Yo! Yes? (Scholastic, 1993). Both stories deal with two lonely souls divided by the book's gutter, and it isn't until one character crosses over the boundary that they discover happiness. In Raschka's case, the protagonists are boys, and the dialogue is comprised of 34 words. Radunsky populates a park with a dog and a girl on opposite sides of a hedge. The two are arrayed in white (fur and a dress, respectively) with taupe spots/polka dots; the child's movements subtly mirror the dog's. Their clipped sentences, filled with longing, are directed at the owners and pets who parade past. (The author credits his own pooch with "the translation from Dog-ese to English.") Comic relief comes from the odd combinations of people and pups that pass by, the quickly shifting loyalties of the two lead characters as they imagine life with the objects of their affection, and the antics of the canine hero. In watching a woman and her six shaggy bundles of energy, he barks: "What are those? Crows? Flying mops? Look, I can fly, too!" He careens off the bench looking very silly indeed. Tan, handmade paper provides a warm background for the gouache figures. Rough edges and an overlay of quick, loose lines produce a vitality that is well suited to this tale. Any child who has ever wanted a pet or experienced loneliness will rejoice at the climax. Perfect for storytimes and laps; even better with pups.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Gr 1–3—A sea turtle that is blinded by the lights of houses perched on the edge of the ocean goes out into the world instead of toward the bay. Ring uses this starting point to teach readers about other kinds of turtles, such as the box turtle and the terrapin, as the sea turtle wanders through their environments. Unfortunately, the story is told in rhyme, which can make the scientific information sound stilted. Also, the beginning of the story is not well explained, which will necessitate additional information about the ways of sea turtles and why they are born on land but go immediately into the water. The illustrations, created in colored pencil and acrylics, are soft yet detailed. They are accurate, but the similarities in the colors of each environment make the pages blur together. Useful facts and reproducible games appear at the end of the book.—Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ

PreS-Gr 2—It seems that young Spoon is having feelings of inadequacy since he cannot do what other pieces of cutlery can do. He cannot slice like Knife, or pierce things like Fork, and he's certainly not exotic like Chopsticks. Apparently this is a drawer-wide problem because the knives, forks, and even chopsticks wish they could do what Spoon can do: bang, plunge into a bowl of ice cream, or clink against a bowl of cereal. Soothed by his mother with these thoughts, he "felt so alive!" So he hops over the drawer divider to snuggle with his parents. Although this is a nice try at creativity, the story asks too much from its readers for too little payoff. There are many wonderful stories about overcoming feelings of jealousy and reinforcing self-esteem. This is not one of them.—Jane Marino, Great Neck Library, New York

PreS-Gr 1—Adult and baby animals, including humans, are shown playing in this simple yet effective book. Each page contains a phrase, e.g., "Roll in the mud, splash and squirt" (for the elephants) or "We'll roll and tumble on the ground" (for the wombats), and a sweet, realistic illustration of the action. Small, unobtrusive text on the pictures identifies the animal and its young, for example, "ravens and juveniles." The last page has seven "Play Tips." A fun-to-read rhyming text and engaging watercolor and colored pencil illustrations work together to make this a fine book for sharing one-on-one or with a small group.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

K-Gr 3—In the city, Little Rabbit has "her own place to stay, her favorite café, and so many things to see and do." But one evening while gazing at the moon, she wonders if there might be another rabbit somewhere to share the things she enjoys. Relaxing in the park away from city bustle one day, she follows the sounds of music and discovers guitar-playing Brown Rabbit. The two have such a good time together that Little Rabbit forgets her former life and stays on. But distant city lights remind her of all the things she loves, and, despite Brown Rabbit's attempts to dissuade her, she announces she must go home. She is no longer lonely, however, for the two rabbits have found a way to continue their friendship. The screen-printed illustrations appear in alternating spreads and panels on colored grounds. A lamppost sporting directional signs to the park and the city on the title page foreshadow Little Rabbit's decision. The two rabbits are simply outlined pillowlike figures, their tall ears moving to express both delight and wistfulness. Unlike Aesop's mice, these two manage to share the delights of one another's environments without sacrificing their own lifestyles. A charming friendship story.—Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT

Gr 1–3—"Weasel was sneaky. He was a bully and a cheat—a nasty, measly Weasel….One day Weasel decided to throw a party to boast about his incredible castle, fast car and huge swimming pool….But no one came." The process by which he is forced to confront and transform himself is hilarious. The bulk of the humor resides in the illustrations: think Edward Gorey in living color. When Sneaky Weasel visits each of his no-show invitees, readers are treated to fantastic perspectives and a plethora of side-splitting details, plus an insert depicting Weasel's rotten trick of dumping fleas down Hedgehog's chimney. Every insert is framed in a manner that suggests these escapades have pride of place in Weasel's memory. Additional highlights include front and back endpapers of newspaperlike ads that display the main character's initial naughtiness and later redemption. Sneaky Weasel has a wholesome moral mixed into abundant, sly humor frosted with a madcap, meandering font. It needs to be read and read again to ingest the bounty of visual jokes and lovable malice.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Gr 1–2—This wistful story features a small boy with a big imagination. He plants a seed, dreaming that it will grow to be as tall as a giant, with singing peacocks, dragons, and a pirate ship tucked in its branches. His older brother tries to get Tom to be realistic, but the child still hopes. He checks on his sapling's progress each spring, and eventually he grows up and moves away. Some time later, he returns with his young son, Edward, to show him the now full-grown tree. Not surprisingly, Edward sees the same imaginary peacocks, dragons, and pirate ship that his father has always seen. The stylized drawings and text design work well with the story. Panels with small drawings effectively show the passing seasons, so the transition from Tom as a young boy to an adult flows smoothly. Some of the illustrations, however, are jarring, and young Tom has an inexplicably large head. An additional purchase for one-on-one sharing.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

PreS-Gr 2—In this winning alphabet-cum-bedtime book, capital-letter parents gradually tuck their lowercase children in for the night. Sierra uses a number of poetic tools as she tears her way through the alphabet (never once mentioning a xylophone) while multimedia elements—a notebook-paper cloud here, a fabric-clothed letter there—pepper the pen-and-pencil-outlined watercolor illustrations. Sweet extrapolates the effect of Sierra's alliterative text with perfectly timed, amusing details (it really wouldn't be an alphabet book without that xylophone, would it?). Parents and children, librarians, teachers, and students will pore over this one again and again.—Bethany Isaacson, Wheaton Regional Library, Silver Spring, MD

PreS—On a construction site full of anthropomorphized trucks and animals, Bertrand the dump truck sticks out as the one unhappy member of the team. He complains about his heavy load and is rude to the other workers. One day, he nearly runs over a digger named Tilly, who is a porcupine. Frightened, she lets loose some quills, accidentally stabbing one of Bertrand's tires. She apologizes and offers to remove the sharp object. But as she does, she finds several other items—a wrench, saw, traffic cone, etc.—that inexplicably had become imbedded in the truck's tire, and removes them as well. Suddenly, Bertrand is in a better mood and becomes so happy that he helps the construction crew plant a garden. This simple narrative is illustrated with framed pictures and cartoon-bubble dialogue. However, it lacks the charm, humor, and artistic merit of Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan's I'm Dirty! (2006) and I Stink! (2002, both HarperCollins).—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

PreS-Gr 2—In this lighthearted tale with an underlying message about being oneself, a pig suffers dreams of grandeur. Asleep in her mud hole, she is pleasantly surprised when the wind drapes a sash proclaiming "Princess" around her shoulders. "Am I a princess?" she asks her fellow barnyard animals. The addition of a crown (a cast-off china tea cup), a gold necklace (a daisy chain), and a sweet-smelling scent (honeysuckle vines) convinces Goat, Cow, and Rooster that the answer is yes. Pig commandeers a tractor seat for a royal throne, lunches on the farmer's pie cooling on the windowsill, and luxuriates in a bubble bath. Pony, however, disagrees, continually reminding her, "you are just a pig." Princess Pig ignores him, until she discovers that, as royalty, she is not invited to "a regular old party" in the barn. Finally, she gets the message and at Pony's urging joins her comrades, dancing into the night. Bowers colored-pencil and watercolor artwork builds on Spinelli's smoothly told story, creating amusing expressions for the animals and funny scenes about Princess Pig's flirtation with the royal life. While not a primary purchase, this is a worthwhile read-aloud that offers ample discussion opportunities.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

Gr 2–4—This story of a family and the escalating insanity of their day—a trip to the zoo leads to an all-out escape when one of the monkeys steals the zookeeper's keys—is really an excuse for Szpirglas to share factoids about time. They appear in boxes set around the page, and most are only tangentially related to what's happening; for example, in a scene where the family sits at the breakfast table, readers learn that the python pictured in the father's newspaper takes 30 minutes "to swallow a meal," and that it takes people "about five seconds to swallow food into the stomach." Bright, almost comic-book-style illustrations chart the thin tale's ever-more-preposterous progress, and the random facts continue unabated. A history of time-telling devices at the end of the book provides interest.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

PreS-Gr 1—Children will love this bright, bold foldout book. The left-hand side of each spread shows a part of the mystery animal, along with the repeating phrase "Who am I?" Each right-hand page contains clues that are revealed one by one, exposing more of the animal as readers unfold the page, until the entire (sometimes life-size) animal is revealed. The text is simple and direct, with a typeface that is easy to read. The book is conducive to baby or toddler storytimes as well as one-on-one reading.—Kate Neff, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL

Gr 3–5—In this slight yet entertaining novel, a young unnamed urchin explains to a potential buyer how he came into possession of the horse he's offering for sale. It seems that a wild-looking gentleman asked him to care for it and not move from that spot until he returned in exchange for a guinea. Even while enchanted with the prospect of more money than he's ever known, the boy considers the offers of passersby to take the animal off his hands and deals with the moral quandary of whether he should sell it for more than the owner promised him. As he continues to wait the gentleman's return, he learns from a soldier that the man he encountered was actually the legendary highway robber Dick Turpin, and that the horse is the equally legendary Black Bess. The story that the boy spins has the structure of a classic folktale. Thompson leaves a sense of ambiguity as to whether it is true, or if it comes from an unusually active imagination. Readers are left to decide whether the urchin is telling the truth or is performing a major act of highway robbery on readers. Teachers might use this tale as a perfect example of an unreliable narrator. Black-and-white drawings capture and accentuate the period feel and clarify the Victorian-era setting.—Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO

K-Gr 2—This lively grammar-related adventure is a sing-along to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" with the repeated refrain, "AEIOU." Sue MacDonald has a book called My Farm by O. MacDonald but can no longer read it after the vowels escape. The girl pursues A on a train that goes to Maine, captures E "sleeping in a tree," saves I from some bad guys and "a life of crime," and fishes O out of a sewer "where the microbes grow." She tucks the letters safely into her backpack and looks for U. After traveling "from Kansas U…to Katmandu," Sue discovers that the vowel has been in her shorts pocket the entire time. With the vowels back in her book, she is able to sound out the words. Done in vivid colors, the ink-and-watercolor illustrations feature high-energy cartoon figures. Each vowel's adventure highlights that letter's long and short sounds (e.g., I is saved in the "Nick of time"), making this book a boon to reading teachers. This educational romp, reminiscent of Robin Pulver's Nouns and Verbs Have a Field Day (Holiday House, 2006), is a strong choice for classroom and library collections.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

K-Gr 2—A little ant is contemplating the ocean when it occurs to him that he does not know where it ends. The thought makes him so sad that he begins to cry. When an elephant asks what is wrong, he suggests standing on tiptoe, and then the ant suggests climbing a tree. When neither approach works, the elephant cries too. After a passing fish informs them that they are (at least from his perspective) at the end of the ocean, both are quite happy—until a new question occurs to the little ant: Where does the ocean begin? It's difficult to know exactly what the point is here. Instead of being awed by the beauty and magnificence of the ocean, the animals are depressed because they can't reduce it to something finite and measurable. Instead of giving children the tools to handle the fact that some questions are unanswerable, the response here seems to be tears of frustration. The illustrations do little to enhance the book, featuring a teal blue expanse of ocean that reaches to mustard-yellow sand. The elephant's proportions vary from page to page, as does the size of the ant in relation to him. For beautifully illustrated books that can lead children to be "big thinkers," stay with Jon J. Muth's Zen Shorts (2005) or Zen Ties (2008, both Scholastic).—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Gr 2–5—The author of Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates (Farrar, 2005) introduces young readers to another Greek philosopher in this cheerfully illustrated picture book. Diogenes, a dog, decides to follow the example of a mouse and leave "his cozy doghouse" to live in the city, free from his leash and all obligations. After he arrives in Athens, he lives simply, begs for his food, and shows the people of the city what a good time is to be had when one owns nothing and has no desires other than to be one's own master. A dog-catcher takes him to the pound, but he finds his freedom again when a rich man takes him home where he remains his own master and lives happily ever after, teaching "the whole family every trick he knew." An endnote, written in a language beyond the understanding of the intended audience, gives biographical information about Diogenes and outlines his philosophy. Chesworth's comical cartoons underline the dog's carefree spirit and the book might spark a discussion about humans' desire for prestige and material goods and how to overcome them.—Monika Schroeder, American Embassy School, New Delhi, India

Gr 2–5—This story is a fictionalized account of Emily Dickinson's interactions with one of her young nephews. "Uncle Emily," as Gib calls his aunt, gives the boy a poem to take to his teacher. When a classmate makes fun of his beloved aunt, labeling her "a peculiar old maid," Gib comes to her defense and gets into a fight. He is afraid to tell his family about the incident until his aunt gives him a poem called, "Tell all the Truth." In an afterword, Yolen explains that Dickinson really did give Gib a poem to take to school, and that the two were very close. The rest of the story, however, is invented. Yolen is a master of word craft and the story is beautifully told in short, rhythmic lines that read like free verse. The story highlights some of Dickinson's well-known characteristics: her white clothing, her love of gardening, and her fondness for children. Carpenter's watercolor and ink illustrations are full of light and done with crosshatching that suggests the printing technique found in late-19th-century children's books. The effect helps place the story in a historical setting. This book is similar to Michael Bedard's Emily (Doubleday, 1992). Both are written at about the same reading level, are beautifully illustrated, and give fictionalized accounts of Dickinson's relationships with children.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT

PreS-K—In a fun and sturdy format, Yoon introduces opposites via friendly snakes. The spare text focuses on simple concepts: "Cold snake/Hot snake," "Skinny snake/Plump snake," "One snake/Many snakes!" Brightly colored, cartoonlike reptiles stretch across the double-foldout spreads and are set against a white background. They are full of amusing details: for example, the fuchsia and pink clean snake is taking a bubble bath, and the turquoise and purple quiet one has a stack of books that include Hisstory of Rock and White Snake. A book that entertains as it informs.—Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY

Gr 1–3—Young's recasting of "The Ugly Duckling" begins with an abandoned egg discovered by a Native American boy who then places it with a sitting hen. Terse lines of text and spare pastel drawings follow the chicken's astonishment over her ungainly chick. "A hook nose?/Let's call him Hook." When he kicks up a dusty storm and contorts his body to look back at her, she is prophetic in her annoyance: "You are not meant for earth." Young sketches the animals in broad strokes, the dark tones of the strange youngster in bold contrast with the orange hen and her chicks; all are shadowed in strokes of blue and accented in bits of yellow. The animals are featured on warm brown pages with no background. Only in scenes where the boy appears are there scratchy forms suggesting background setting. Most of the story features Hook's abysmal efforts at flight. Finally, the boy comes once more to the rescue, carrying the bird first to the top of his pueblo home and finally far off to the ledge of a great canyon. "He spreads his wings,/catching a gust of air./And rises to where he belongs…/For he wasn't meant for earth." Hook's satisfying rise reveals him as a handsome eagle, his soaring figure last viewed from the ground by the family of chickens. Young's suggestive dusky views are by turns confusing, comical, and striking. Along with the minimal narrative, they leave space for readers to ponder and question. They offer nice opportunities for shared reading and, of course, special moments of recognition for readers familiar with Andersen's tale.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

Gr 2–4—Brenda Berman cannot believe that her Uncle Harry had the audacity to become engaged without consulting her. Now, soon-to-be Aunt Florrie is at the heart of her woes. Accented with a Jewish flavor, the story of Brenda's struggle to accept the woman and her niece, while told in a simple and humorous manner, reveals the heartache many children feel when adult family members become engaged, married, or even begin to date seriously. Brenda slowly matures, and by the end of the book she and her cousin throw a mini-wedding for the happy couple. Although this title would make a worthy addition because of its topic, the audience is unclear. The cartoonlike watercolor illustrations, which adorn almost every spread, will appeal to young children, but the lengthy text, divided into five chapters, lends itself to older readers. An additional purchase, best suited for family read-alouds.—Adrienne Wilson, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, Monroe, CT

K-Gr 4—A girl tells how her grandmother makes her a "special" dress every year. The colorful and cleverly created multimedia illustrations vividly show what's involved: the paper patterns, bolts of fabric, step-by-step process of cutting out material, basting, and using a sewing machine. A delighted youngster dances as her grandmother comments, "Pretty as a princess!" and her mom adds, "A perfect fit!" The child looks over her shoulder into a mirror and smiles as she says, "Thank you, Grandma!" The story goes on to promote recycling: the following year, Grandma says to the now-seven-year-old, "We all need to do our part…. We should use new material only if we have to. You're no wider, just taller, so let's start with what we have and add to it." They add pretty leggings, a new pair of shoes, and a matching belt to extend the use of the garment. And the following year, a spread reveals how the old dress is made new once again, and the gleeful girl informs her friends, "This is my forever dress. I've worn it forever…well, almost forever. Since I was six." Young girls will enjoy this tale about a loving relationship between grandparent and child.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

Gr 3–5—These books introduce basic geological concepts. Playful chapter headings like "Drip Drop," "Diamonds Are Forever," and "The Heat Is On" refer to the topics of chemical sedimentation (Limestone), Mohs' scale (Minerals), and metamorphic rock formation (Slate). Allen describes how rocks or minerals are formed, their types, properties, and where they can be found. The books conclude with a few uses of rocks or minerals both current and from the past. Occasional insets add information. Each spread includes a captioned, full-page color photo opposite the text. As the books lack diagrams or detail photos, youngsters unfamiliar with the topics will need assistance in deciphering the densely presented material. The well-chosen PowerKids links help clarify the concepts. "The Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface" series (Rosen) covers much the same content in a more accessible way, and the "Rock Stars" series (Gareth Stevens) has more visuals.—Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

Gr 3–5—Arnosky's painterly eye and personal observations match handsomely in this face-to-face experience. The slim volume presents—head-on—life-size depictions of a plethora of scaly or otherwise armored critters, along with a nice selection of data included in the conversational text. Neat foldouts of a passel of snakes, an American crocodile (with an infant perched on its nose), a skitter of lizards, and the heads of a variety of sea turtles add an interactive touch to the artist's outstanding acrylics. Even libraries that have titles in Arnosky's "All About" series (Scholastic) will want to add this handsome, informative book to their slithery collections.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

K-Gr 4—A handsome design and gorgeous black-and-white photos can cover a multitude of sins in a picture book. Here, the endpapers are attractive, and each letter of the alphabet is done in a large collegiate font. The background textures are rich: wool and felt, stars and stripes, baseball laces. The archival photos are beautiful: Phil Niekro's knuckleball and uniforms from the All-American Professional Girls Baseball League. However, the labeling is inconsistent; some captions are detailed, some vague, and some nonexistent. Softball is included under "S," but most fans will tell you that it's a completely different sport. Stadium photos are labeled with their names, but there is no listing of their locations. Yogi Berra is listed under "C" for Catcher and "Y" for Yogi and a photo of Berra also graces the back cover. Willie Mays is listed under three letters: "B," "S," and "W"—there isn't a lot of diversity here. No photos more recent than the 1986 World Series appear in the book. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable baseball fans will be disappointed.—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

Gr 3–5—Digby and his older sister, Hannah, visit Knicknack Market every Saturday to see what fantastical historical object Mr. Rummage has for sale. Though the authenticity of the object is often called into question by Hannah, it elicits an impromptu history lesson. Thus readers learn about Galileo after Hannah finds his telescope on the stall, Julius Caesar when Mr. Rummage presents the leader's sandals, and Queen Victoria when Pixie, the owner of a nearby stall, shows a fragment of a jewel belonging to the regent. On each spread, Mr. Rummage (and in Caesar and Queen Victoria, other characters from the market) describes the historical figure, and the opposite page provides facts interspersed with reproductions and historically accurate illustrations. Cartoons of Hannah and Digby acting out the events appear throughout. In the end, the subject's life has been revealed, from childhood to death. The clever structure makes the history a little more accessible for some readers, but the story feels contrived at points. Though the facts are accurate, there are a few inconsistencies in these books, such as Digby's sister being introduced as younger and then talked about as his older sister. Also, sometimes it is difficult to know which of the modern characters is speaking, as the dialogue sections of the texts often lack attribution.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

K-Gr 2—These titles engage children through humor, clear language, interesting facts, and abundant photos. In the first book, Baines takes readers through the functions that bones perform in a human body. A caption reads, "Bonk! Your skull is like a helmet for your brain." The second volume opens with a picture of a generic egg about to hatch, illustrated with the word balloon, "Hello? Mom?" As explained in the next pages, it might contain a turtle or a fish or a butterfly. Maybe it's a swan. How about an alligator? All sorts of eggs are explained. Both books have two font sizes. The larger one is easier to read, while the smaller one might require adult help and explanation. Each one concludes with a spread of facts and questions to zigzag through and ponder. Excellent introductions for young science students.—Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

Gr 1–3—This gently informative book describes the role butterflies played in helping dinosaurs and their environment flourish. The main text offers a simpler narrative than the supplementary and more detailed one in small type that appears below or next to it. A close-up of an electric blue dinosaur with a butterfly on its snout accompanies the revelation that, after living together on Earth for millions of years, "suddenly, their time together ended." A few of the predominant theories about the dinosaurs' extinction and explanations of the continuing survival of butterflies are put forth. A final spread adds fun factoids about dinosaur and insect life. Barner's illustrations are, as always, fantastically bright, eye-catching cut-paper collages. A useful, engaging, and illuminating book.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Gr 2–4—This classic tale of friendship is set in Sicily in the fourth century B.C.E. Dionysius, a "cruel ruler," surrounds himself with bodyguards, reigns with an iron fist, and sneers at the idea of trusting others. Pythias speaks out publicly against the tyrant and is sentenced to death for treason. The young man's request to journey home to bid his parents farewell is granted only after his good friend Damon steps forward and offers to take Pythias's place in prison, vowing to die in his stead should Pythias not return in a month. The traveler is delayed, and Damon prepares to accept his fate. Pythias arrives just in time, and their heartfelt reunion inspires Dionysius to revoke the sentence and ask the two young men for a "favor": "Might I be the third in your friendship?" Johnson's realistic artwork evokes the setting and time period with rich detail, alternating landscapes and city scenes with close-ups of the characters' faces. The paintings glow with deep apricot and jewel tones, while darker colors underscore powerful emotions. The text reads aloud smoothly with strong dialogue and vivid similes. While Dionysius's instantaneous turnaround from harsh oppressor to humble supplicant might be a bit abrupt and simplistic, it is in the spirit of this ancient fable. Share this offering to launch discussions of friendship, faith, and trust.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Gr 2–5—"There is no mistaking a butterfly," begins this striking, beautifully crafted exploration of these intriguing winged insects and their "more secretive" brethren. There's also no mistaking the loving care with which this book was made, setting gorgeous photographs against jewel-toned pages, with fascinating, meticulously captioned close-ups and new angles on a familiar subject (such as spectacular fold-out pages showing the mechanics of a butterfly's flight through a seamless series of photos). Bishop has received much well-deserved acclaim for his stunning photographs, but his text, too, stands out, with information-packed prose that shimmers like butterfly wings, capturing the sense of wonder that infuses his photographs. That passion also shines through in an afterword in which he shares the story of how he took the pictures (including a years-in-the-making mad dash to Costa Rica to photograph a caterpillar that can puff its body up to look like a poisonous snake before turning into a pupa). This book is an example of the very best kind of nonfiction—the kind that inspires as well as informs.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

Gr 1–3— My Daddy joins My Momma… (2003), My Grandma… (2007), and My Teacher… (2004, all Sleeping Bear) as Brennan-Nelson continues to introduce children to a variety of idioms through rhyming verse and literally interpreted illustrations. Each spread has background information on the origin of the featured expression that is much more engaging than the verse, but it is likely to be overlooked because of its small font. The expressions include "the buck stops here," "fly by the seat of your pants," and "cool as a cucumber." Donovan's pictures add humorous charm: for example, the robust green cucumber sunbathing becomes a shriveled pickle. The final spread may be a bit confusing to children as the illustration and text highlight the saying "in the doghouse" while the informational material concerns "on cloud nine." "We've been on a wild goose chase.'/And had a whale of a time.'/If we're not in the doghouse'/we're sitting on cloud nine.'" Purchase if the earlier titles are in demand.—Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA

Gr 3–6—An eye-catching look at North America's "backyard" bonanza of prehistoric reptilian residents. Accompanied by Barnard's bright, realistic, action-filled illustrations, Brewster's conversational text is loaded with the data sought by young researchers and dino lovers alike. Maps, a general time line, and a pronunciation guide to those tongue-tangling nomenclatures are included, as is a list of U.S. and Canadian museums and parks (with Web site addresses) having nifty collections of dino-fossils, such as Drumheller (Alberta, Canada) and Bozeman (Montana). Slender, colorful, informative, and…about dinosaurs.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

K-Gr 2—Brooks has collected prayers from a variety of nations including Poland, South Africa, the United States, and France, as well as several from his native England. The book features prayers of thanks, requests for guidance, blessings, and bedtime prayers. They may be said at different times of the day and in a variety of situations, including celebrating a day at the beach ("…for jumping the tide, for having a ride/for laughter and fun, praise God, everyone"). Each heavenly entreaty is brief, some composed of a single line ("O God, look on us and be always with us,/that we may live happily"). Fournier's watercolor, acrylic, and pencil illustrations echo the comforting message of the text. The paintings feature school-aged children of many ethnicities engaged in common childhood activities. One girl plays hopscotch, other kids puddle jump, and two more make snow angels. The characters' individuality is emphasized by the colors and patterns in their clothing and the cultural details included in each painting. Several of the vibrant illustrations contain a recurring angel motif. Young readers will appreciate Brooks's gentle message of acceptance and inclusiveness as they learn the prayers. Although not as comprehensive as Mary Joslin's The Lion Book of Best-Loved Prayers (Lion, 2008) or Rebecca Winter's Prayers for Children (Good Bks., 2005), this book will enhance most religion collections.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA

Gr 1–4—Young readers will receive a better-than-average introduction to punctuation marks and their uses in this cheerfully illustrated collection of poems. Each selection presents an individual punctuation mark through rhyming verse: "Ellipsis points...three tiny dots.../Are perfect for those silent spots./Their use, dear reader, is permitted/When certain phrases are omitted." The featured punctuation marks are highlighted in red, and most of the offerings are followed by a rhyming example of the symbol in action. An overarching narrative about a punctuation field day loosely ties the poems together. Bruno's writing is clear and lively throughout, though most children will trip momentarily over her choice of the word "apropos." Bright collages of children of various ethnicities engaged in diverse activities complement the text. Jan Carr's Greedy Apostrophe (Holiday House, 2007), Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves (Putnam, 2006), and other works have explored individual punctuation marks. Bruno's comprehensive approach to the topic offers good value to smaller collections.—Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI

K-Gr 3—The subdued earthy tones of Carlson-Voiles's exquisite cut-paper illustrations complement her hushed poetic language as she describes the winter scenes taken in by an unidentified solitary rambler (revealed at book's end to be a wolf). Texture and watercolor accents add detail to handsomely bordered illustrations teeming with wildlife. Some pages provide a peek into the dens and tunnels of hiding and hibernating creatures. Though the text is attractively presented on most pages, the words are occasionally difficult to read. This, and a few stumbling points where the flow of the language yields to the need to inform, diminishes the book's appeal as a read-aloud. An informational note is appended. Though the facts have been arranged to match the narrative's sequence, the sentences run together in one large paragraph per page and seem a bit disorganized. Use this offering to supplement titles on nature in winter, such as Carl R. Sams's Stranger in the Woods (Carl R. Sams II Photography, 1999), which also features a mysterious passerby.—Neala Arnold, St. Francis Elementary School, MN

PreS-Gr 4—A year in the life of wolves is told through verse in this beautifully illustrated picture book. Readers and listeners will be completely engaged in the rhythm of the poetry, which conveys the movement and habits of wolves. "Five wolves peek at a bright May sunbeam—/fuzzy pups, funny pups, sniff and stare./Five wolves peek at a bright May sunbeam/deep in the woods in the fresh spring air." Realistic art shows their movements, both active and sedentary. Young listeners will be able to complete rhyming sentences as the book is read and understand the use of alliteration. Useful for counting, as well as learning about the animals, seasons of the year, and poetry, this book may be enjoyed by beginning readers as well as researchers. "Wolf Fun Facts," "Wolf Life Cycle," "Wolf Calendar Activity," information about hunting and endangered wolves, and a Web site with reproducible activities are included. Students will want to read Jean Craighead George's The Wolves Are Back (Dutton, 2008) and Gail Gibbons's Wolves (Holiday House, 1994) for additional material.—Nancy Baumann, Indian Paintbrush Elementary, Laramie, WY

K-Gr 2—Nonfiction alphabet books often struggle to deliver content within the prescribed format. Such is the case with these collections of arbitrary facts. Adventurous, the least problematic work, is a compilation of character traits. The adjectives included ("Anxious," "Jovial," "Xenomaniac") will be excellent word-wall contributions and will be helpful in student writing. Alcatraz is the weakest title; it features buildings, landforms, countries, and cities, with no scheme clarifying the different kinds of places. There is no map to identify the locations. Airedale provides scant information on the ever-popular topic of dog breeds, outlining average height and weight, and giving facts on other physical characteristics, history, or roles. All of the books provide one or two facts per page plus one additional "guess what?" tidbit. Letters are clearly displayed in the corners of pages, and ample color photographs support the texts. As tools for gaining fluency in reading, these books are serviceable, but coverage is disappointing.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

Gr 1–3—Students will love these books, which include suggestions on how to help endangered animals. Each colorful spread presents a question ("Why Are Orangutans So Special?") and provides an answer through facts, large color photographs, and a "Save the…" or a "Did You Know?" bubble. A large-print sentence that often snakes across the spread presents the animal in the first person, giving readers information from a different perspective (Panda asserts that "I am the height of a pony when I stand on all fours"). The books provide the basics: where the animals live, how they communicate (addressed in spreads with headings such as "How Do Polar Bears Talk?"), and what they eat, and several questions and answers specifically related to the title creature. Good resources for young researchers.—Marilyn Teicher, New York City Public Schools

PreS-Gr 2—In a retelling of the classic cumulative tune "I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly," a googly-eyed purple monster consumes a panoply of colorful critters (ants, a tick, a lizard, a bat, a jackal, a bear) until he meets his match—and end—in a lion. The neon-bright artwork on jet black backgrounds pops off the pages as the monster and his wriggly comestibles whirl across the spreads. The Emberleys invite readers into the action by depicting the monster's ever-expanding stomach with its jam-packed contents in a ploy sure to elicit lots of delighted grimaces from children. Individual readers will pore over the illustrations and enjoy the repetition in the text while the large pictures make this a natural to share with groups. With the song provided as a free download at the publisher's Web site, this jazzy crowd-pleaser will have kids begging for repeat reads.—Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

K-Gr 3—Gibbons uses her trademark watercolor cartoon images and simple text to introduce readers to scientific information. Descriptions of tornado mechanics and creation are followed by a discussion of the Fujita Tornado Scale. Six spreads demonstrate the various levels of severity (0 to 5) and describe the wind speeds and damages typically caused by storms of each scale. Descriptions of Tornado Alley, meteorologists, warning information, and tips on what to do during a tornado follow. A spread on the Great Tri-State Tornado references human casualties. The last page includes some additional facts, including a mention about the direction that tornadoes spin, and referrals to the NOAA and Environment Canada Web sites. While Gibbons's style is appealing and accessible, the scientific nature of the information might be better served with more realistic images.—S. McClendon, Friends School of Atlanta, Decatur, GA

Gr 3–4—This book incorporates history, sports, and movie stars. Each spread is self-contained, and because all of the subjects discussed, from Bruce Lee to judo champion Ryoko Tani, tie back to the theme, no further organization is necessary. Students interested in martial arts will enjoy the coverage of several Olympic medalists. Even those less familiar with the pastime will be attracted to the high-quality images, which include stills from martial-arts movies and photographs of Olympic bouts. Best for libraries with large martial-arts collections.—Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Gr 3–5—Concentrating on impressive 2008 Olympic moments, these books also feature memorable events in each star's life. Some readers will relate when they learn that Phelps's mother was told that because Michael had ADHD he would "never be able to focus on anything," or that James moved seven times in a year when he was five years old. Impressive camera angles used in the color photos provide dynamism to the narratives. A "Just the Facts" section adds additional information about each athlete, and a closing time line places their Olympic accomplishments in context. These books should not become outdated too quickly.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Gr 2–4—Up-to-date, engaging introductions. The images, which have obviously been chosen with enthic and gender diversity in mind, include color photos of current office holders as well as some archival portraits of famous officials. Each title includes eligibility for office and terms of service, and relationship to the other parts of the government, and features Republicans and Democrats. When campaigns are discussed, both winning and losing candidates are given as examples. In Judge most of the focus is on the Supreme Court. Mayor mentions towns as well as large cities. Congress includes both Senators and members of the House of Representatives and explains the differences as well as similarities between the two branches. Vice President boasts photographs of Joe Biden as well as other recent and historical office holders and briefly outlines the duel between Burr and Hamilton.—Erlene Bishop Killeen, Stroughton Area School District, WI

Gr 2–5—The legendary activist, singer, and actor receives a fitting update to Greenfield's stirring 1975 biography (HarperCollins, o.p.). From his father's escape from slavery to Robeson's rise in celebrity and stature, the purposeful text highlights the monumental influences on this man's multifaceted life. Robeson's outcry against racism abroad and his subsequent struggle under McCarthyism reveal the tumultuous conditions during the Civil Rights Movement. Succinct phrases depict the public's faltering opinion of Robeson's controversial beliefs and his perseverance in the face of adversity. Vibrant, monochromatic acrylic illustrations from the original edition use shading and depth to convey tremendous emotion. Powerful movements and vivid expressions enhance the narrative. Against a rich, cream background, fluid lines convey a bold intensity. An updated afterword describes the activist's numerous posthumous accolades, including his Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This book offers a fully developed portrayal of the man.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

K-Gr 3—These small-format books provide basic information about the featured animal. Simple sentences about its habitat, food, and daily activities face full-color photographs. Beginning readers and young browsers interested in animals may enjoy these brief introductions, but libraries need to consider demand for such titles and the scope of current collections. In particular, frogs have received much photographic attention in picture books, starting with Joy Cowley and Nic Bishop's stunning Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic, 1999).—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato

K-Gr 5—These delightful poems center on a family's trip to the ocean and are told from the perspective of young Sam ("Call me Sam, that's who I am"). He describes packing the car: "My sister/packed/so much junk/there's/no place/I can sit./If we/left/my sister/home,/I bet/her stuff/would/fit." In one poem, when the boy cannot take his pet gerbil, he tells readers he is taking a spider instead. "Oops" relates how it escapes. An amusing pen-and-ink illustration adroitly conveys the ensuing chaos: the boy sticks his head out of the car window, three doors are wide open, and the rest of the family stands in a line, all looking quite perturbed, their discarded personal items lying on the ground between them and the car. "Putting Up the Tent" explains that, "We/helped/Daddy/with the/tent. /It didn't/go/the way/we meant./We don't/know how/the pole/got bent." This book, with its expressive art that expands on the humor in each poem, should have wide appeal.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

K-Gr 2—These two books are good examples of the danger of oversimplification. Each one reduces its topic to a series of meaningless assertions accompanied by somewhat random stock photographs. In Yom Kippur, the text leads to misleading or inaccurate statements that seem to have been driven by available photos. For example, a picture of a family lighting two holiday candles accompanies the words "two special candles are lit to remember parents who have died" when in fact, a single memorial yahrzeit candle may be lit for a parent, child, sibling, or spouse, in addition to the pair of candles lit to mark the beginning of the holiday. Vague statements in Harvest Festivals are confusing. For example, the text "In some countries, the last sheaf of corn of the harvest was made into a doll shape. This was to please the Corn Spirit, so there would be a good harvest the next year," is paired with a photo of a U.S. girl who learned to make "corn dollies" in school. The implication is that of widespread American cornhusk doll-making, an odd thought to say the least. Both books end abruptly, without any kind of summary or conclusion. These titles are not informative and are unlikely to be of use to either report writers or browsers.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Gr 1–3—Hopkins has gathered 14 poems about the sun, moon, and stars. Some are by well-known authors, like Carl Sandburg and Tennessee Williams, while others are less familiar. Almost all of the selections are short, wistful, free verse, and well crafted. The dreamlike tone is reflected in Stawarski's quasi-surrealistic illustrations. Done in rich textured blues, yellows, and oranges, they present a world in which logic holds little sway. The moon walks on two legs while some people watch a large star screen in the sky and others use ropes to pull down the night. Although formatted as a picture book, the interesting poems and unusual illustrations can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (Houghton, 2003) is another anthology about the heavenly bodies, but is aimed at a younger audience. A handsome addition.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT

K-Gr 3—From emperor penguins that protect their eggs with their belly fat to the elaborate bowerbirds that spend months creating a mating spot, this intriguing book describes and illustrates how creative and exacting birds can be when building an abode. Divided into sections based on the type of nest, each example includes a brief description of the bird's method of construction and the materials used. What's most fascinating is the amazing diversity represented, including some very clever birds that literally sew, steal, or decorate their nests, as well as those whose structures are big enough to hold a human. Done in watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and ink, the illustrations are simple and appealing. Close-up and interior views offer more detail, although only the text provides a true sense of scale (bald eagle nests "are GIGANTIC, up to ten feet wide and weighing two tons. That's as heavy as a car!"). Packed with visual appeal and interesting information, this book is well worth sharing.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Gr 1–2—These brief texts begin and end with a group of words, listed at the beginning to highlight their importance and at the end as a review. Only a few rooms are described in See Inside the White House. Children may wonder about the rest of the building or not realize that there are other parts. Who Works at the White House? covers Secret Service agents, photographers, chefs, and gardeners, but no mention is made of positions such as the president's secretary, advisors, or communications staff. President, which features Obama on the cover, presents a complex job in understandable terms. The main duties are described as helping to make laws, giving speeches, meeting with leaders, and heading the military. Easy to read and with large, inviting color photographs, the books contain enough information to interest children in the topics, but they may be frustrated by how much is left out.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

PreS-Gr 3—Each day, as the sun rises, children around the world awake, wash, eat breakfast, and go to school, then play or work and share the evening with their families. Illustrating the premise that "the more we can embrace our commonality, the more tolerant we can be of our differences," the book's color photos from many countries show youngsters involved in their daily routines, clearly capturing their expressions and involvement with their tasks. Accompanying snippets of text encourage readers to concentrate on the action in each photo. The locations are not identified until the end of the book, where an appended list identifies the photographer and the country in very small print and a map serves as an index to the photographs. While the simplistic narrative lends itself to preschoolers, some images present similarities and differences among various religions that will best be appreciated by children in the older part of the grade range.—Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA

K-Gr 3—This version of the familiar story is set deep in the east Texas swamp. Three little gators set off on their own, leaving their mama, who warns them to be careful of the Big-bottomed Boar. And when they build their flimsy houses, readers will know what to expect. But Ketteman's retelling, including a sassy Texas twang, makes the story hilarious and bright. Add in a catchy chorus, repeated each time the Big-bottomed Boar comes visiting, and readers will be chiming in on cue. "Then I'll wiggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump and smash your house!" Terry's illustrations work well with the story. The colors are vibrant yet ominous and swampy. The textures are also wonderful, from the smoothness of gator hide and graininess of the swamp sand to the hairiness of the ugly boar. A fun choice for libraries and classrooms.—Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ

K-Gr 3—This slim, oversize book contains superb photos of 20 animals chosen at random from Japanese zoos. They feature huge, full-body images of smaller critters like meerkats and full or partial head shots of the big guys like rhinos and tigers. Foldout pages are used to accommodate such "biggies" as the entire head of a giraffe (tongue extended!). The chatty text offers a simple sentence about each animal and is accompanied by equally simple sets of "fact boxes" (be prepared for lots of data on peeing and pooping). The endpapers contain complete body shots of all 20 animals, along with general data on size, weight, and global distribution. Very handsome indeed, this is a stunning introduction to animals that many children may only see on smaller-than-life-size TV and computer screens.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Gr 2–3—Kortenkamp introduces space-related topics by pairing large, captioned color photos or hyper-realistic digital paintings with simple texts of six or fewer lines per spread. Life is about the possibility of finding microbes on Mars, on Jupiter's moon Europa, or in other solar systems. Robots describes some of the work that the machines are doing or will do off Earth, and Tourism posits the construction of orbiting space hotels in the near future. Despite instances of poor word choices—a claim in Life, for instance, that "Astronauts" (rather than the more accurate "scientists") will study evidence of life on Mars, should any be found, and an anthropomorphic observation in Robots that "Robonauts will carefully repair equipment in space"—the nature and level of detail are satisfactory for elementary forays into science and technology. The topics are too narrow to make these economical purchases, but the books may well help to kindle an interest in space exploration.—John Peters, New York Public Library

K-Gr 3—Short verses and deep-hued paintings introduce the ways in which sea animals use camouflage for protection. Each spread presents one animal and its form of protection. For example, one page shows a crab that hides by attaching bits of kelp to its shell. The second line of each four-line verse repeats the last words of the first line twice in a "Muffin-Man"-like sequence: "Floating there, before our eyes—/before our eyes, before our eyes." This gives a jarringly young feel to what is otherwise a serious informational book. The page quoted here ends with these graceful lines: "A seaweed curtain bares its prize,/a tiny dragon in disguise." The illustrations, most of creatures that live far beneath the sea, are, of necessity, quite dark and are best viewed by individual readers. The endnotes are more than supplemental; they are necessary, as they explain the methods of camouflage and the species features. Extensive online support includes a teacher's guide, which seems aimed at a third- through fifth-grade audience, and correlates with standards for specific states. Useful in collections where books on sea creatures or camouflage are needed.—Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA

Gr 1–3—Each book explains a specific type of writing and shows how various "tools" are used in creating it. For example, Fairy Tale demonstrates the use of setting, characters, and magic, among other devices, in "Little Red Riding Hood." Some of the tools covered in Picture Book are dividing the story into parts, setting up a problem or struggle, and using illustrations to advance the plot. Letter shows the proper format for such a missive and explains, for example, how to write the greeting, what should be in the body, and how to close. Budding poets will find descriptions of the use of rhythm, rhyme, and metaphors among the tools outlined in Poem. Purists may disagree with the definition of "fairy tale" in that book ("…very old stories with magical characters"), as well as with some liberties that are taken with the traditional tale discussed. In addition, no source is given for this particular version, which would seem de rigueur. The mixed-media illustrations are reasonably attractive but not outstanding. The illustrator seems to struggle a bit with proper body proportions, but this is a minor quibble in otherwise attractive and useful books. In all titles, "Let's Review" sections summarize the tools previously outlined, and "Getting Started Exercises" provide writing prompts.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Gr 2–4—These books discuss the growth and development of the animals, as well as their habitat, threatened status, physical features, and behaviors. The texts are written so clearly and simply that young report writers will understand all of the key points. Fact boxes and pictorial inserts jazz up the pages and help readers make their way from beginning to end. Full-color stock photos appear throughout. Each volume ends with a series of questions so that children can test how much they have learned. Additional resources, where needed.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

Gr 3–4—In this fictionalized account of Galileo's legendary experiments on the speed of falling objects, the young professor meets a poor farm boy, Massimo, who drops bread and cheese to his uncle passing under a bridge in a boat. Stunned that the bread and cheese hit the boat at the same time, contradicting Aristotle's teachings, Galileo begins experimenting with other pairs of falling objects. His research culminates in dropping a cannonball and a musket ball from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove they will fall at the same speed and hit the ground simultaneously. Upon the success of his experiment, he invites Massimo to study at the university with him. The story excels at teaching the concept involved and is admirably enhanced by Rui's attractive, colorful, and informative acrylics. In an appendix, Macdonald explains that Massimo is a fictional character and that the story of Galileo's dropping balls from the Tower is based on legend. The mathematical formula for determining speed is included. An excellent way to introduce physics.—Jeffrey A. French, formerly at Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH

Gr 1–3—This book encourages readers to count demonstrators, flags, presidents, and buttons in photographs associated with the civil rights leader. Numbers are featured as numerals labeling people and objects in the illustrations and as bold words in the text. The book discusses King's civil rights work, personal sacrifice, and legacy, including the current-day volunteer movement centered on his holiday. An extension section that includes information on the man's assassination is prefaced by the suggestion that it should be read with a parent or teacher as some concepts may require explanation. Glossy pages are bordered with thematic drawings such as one of a bus and another of a dove. However, the book's audience is unclear as students mature enough to tackle justice and civil rights already count well. Modifiers such as "special," "great," and "sadly" are used unnecessarily to describe a man whose actions need no editorializing.—S. McClendon, Friends School of Atlanta, Decatur, GA

Gr 3–6—Heavily illustrated, with emphasis on teeth, horns, and color patterns, these books have immediate eye-appeal. The realistic, colorful pictures are accompanied by dig-site maps, comparative-size diagrams, "Wow!" boxes, and photos of existing fossils. The simple texts are arranged on topic spreads that open with a sentence or two in dark type, followed by up to three paragraphs each consisting of a few brief sentences. Each title contains a "Dino Guide" table that lists creatures by period, providing pronunciation guidance and length, weight, and diet information for the dinosaurs mentioned in the text. There is some overlap among books, such as an identical unit on dinosaur generalities and a useful diagram of the fossilization process. Reluctant readers will enjoy these offerings.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Gr 1–4—Similar in style and format to Jerusalem Sky: Stars, Crosses, and Crescents (Doubleday, 2005), this offering uses spare, free-verse prose to illuminate the magic and mystery of the oldest surviving synagogue in Europe. Legend has it that the intricately carved stones were brought to Prague from Jerusalem by angels on the condition that they are returned when the Temple is rebuilt. A piece of Passover matzoh protects the synagogue from harm while white doves guard it from fire. The Old-New Synagogue was also home to the great 16th-century Rabbi Judah Loew, who created a Golem out of clay to defend the Jews of the Prague Ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks. The remains of the Golem are believed to reside in the attic. The simple, abstract illustrations in acrylic, gouache, and colored pencil do not fully illuminate the architectural magnificence of the building or the legends associated with it. Readers will need to look to other sources for more concrete images and will also need more information than what is provided in the author's note. However, the book can be used to complement David Wisniewski's Golem (Clarion, 1996) and Podwal's Golem: A Giant Made of Mud (HarperCollins, 1995).—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

Gr 1–4—With each volume setting up for the kill and ending with a spread of the subject ready to strike again, these books make an all-out attempt to grab readers' attention. Incorporating the in-your-face photography and captions (such as "Underwater Spy" in Crocodiles) associated with extreme TV, they mostly succeed. While no gruesome fact is spared (a spread of blood-covered Komodo Dragons lustily enjoying their meal comes to mind), the animals are shown to be not necessarily vicious. Each book ends with a breakdown of how the subject actually contributes to the ecosystem because of its predatory lifestyle and an explanation of how the creatures' perceived danger to humans is usually a misunderstanding. These are exciting reads—even the photo-diagram labeling the parts of each animal is an action shot. Vocabulary terms are defined at the foot of the relevant page and repeated in the glossary. While the use of "black space" is quite effective in creating a tone of danger throughout, it sometimes obscures the photos, many of which are up-close and chaotic. All the same, these titles will appeal to thrill seekers and young researchers who like to walk on the wild side.—Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA

Gr 2–4—The Ambassadog of Hope for Animal Cancer, a bright-eyed German Shepherd, tells his cancer-survival tale, which begins with his rescue as an abandoned puppy and how fortunate he was to be rescued by Jill and have her as his Mom. "Once upon a time," Jack begins and then tells his experiences growing up in a household with other rescue animals. His voice sounds like Jill's voice, especially when he describes himself as a "small German Shepherd with a very sweet disposition." Despite this flaw, his narrative sustains an upbeat tone punctuated initially by some grainy but well-centered photographs, which look like family snapshots. As the story proceeds, the family moves to a farm where he experiences the joys of chasing deer, digging holes, and running through fields. This is the point where the photography starts to look sharp, professional, and posed; shadows are artistically set, and the clarity pops. The pain suffered in his left leg is diagnosed as cancer; amputation and chemotherapy follow, but with none of the harsh realities pictured and only a minor amount summarized in the text. His perfectly healed-over wound and other pictures of Jack recovering show him becoming the same fun-loving dog he was before the surgery. To those who object to blatant anthropomorphization, Rappaport's story is a quick pass, but for those collections in need of strong bibliotherapy to help children through their dog's cancer, this is a good choice.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

PreS-K—One animal, wild or domestic, is covered in each book. Two short sentences on the verso of each spread provide clues about noticeable features such as physical characteristics ("I have a curly tail" describes a pig in Grunts); behaviors ("I rub your leg to say hello" hints a Cat in Purrs); and habitat ("I live in a pond," says a frog in Jumps). Each right-hand page has a photo of part of the animal, such as the tail or legs. Children will find the pictures delightful and will be amazed at the close-ups of some body parts such as the hair on the honeybee's leg or the frog's sticky tongue. The books have enough information to figure out the animal in question, but for those who are stuck, the last spread asks, "Who am I?" and reveals the answer. Though these titles provide minimal information, youngsters will enjoy them for pleasure reading.—Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX

Gr 3–5—This slim book is filled with lovely color photographs showing the people of Bali, ancient water temples, and rice in every stage of growth. It begins with an overview of the customs governing the use of water and explaining how community cooperation within the water temple system ensured that each farm got enough water to produce a plentiful harvest. The book then shows how rice was (and is) grown in Bali using traditional methods involving a fallow period and ducks. Reynolds discusses the consequences of the imposition of modern agricultural practices, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, on the crop, and the resulting drop in production. The final part explains how American anthropologist J. Stephen Lansing analyzed how the water temple system and traditional farming methods were more effective than the modern practices and convinced the Indonesian government to allow farmers to return to the old ways. While the text occasionally oversimplifies the subject, it does provide a fine overview of a classic anthropological study and a strong argument for sustainable farming practices. Back matter includes three Web sites, although two of them are dead links. Given the dearth of books on the topic for children, this one can serve to provide additional information for reports on Bali or on anthropological studies.—Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA

Gr 3–6—These books contain a great deal of information but children will not be drawn to them, and some of the coverage is confusing. For example, in Grains, the glycemic index is briefly explained and accompanied by directions to "choose low-G.I." However, the author only gives one example of relevant food. Meat discusses anaphylaxis and "dangerous reactions" to foods, and includes an illustration of a boy using an inhaler, not an appropriate treatment for anaphylaxis. The same book provides a recipe for green salad that does not include any of the foods in the title. While the fact boxes are interesting, and the "Around the World" spreads are fun, overall the books are a bit boring. The color photographs and drawings do not always match the text and are repetitive.—Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ

K-Gr 3—These titles feature one or two large-print, simple sentences on each spread, on color backgrounds beneath a color photograph (usually a close-up). Each title briefly describes where the animal is found, its key physical characteristics, typical behavior, hunting and/or feeding techniques, defense mechanisms, diet, and natural enemies. Puffins also mentions mating and outlines the birth and care of young. The photographs effectively complement the texts; some include labels with arrows indicating major body parts. While there is some oversimplification in Frogfish and Swordfish —the books refer to their subject animals' size in such vague terms as to be unhelpful ("Most frogfish are about the size of your hand"; "Swordfish are large fish. Their length is about the same as a man's height.")—the other texts are clearly written and do an excellent job of presenting the basics. The approximately half-dozen scientific terms in each book appear in boldface and are defined in the glossary. As little information on these animals is available for this age group, these beautifully photographed introductions will help fill a gap.—Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library

Gr 2–4—It is a long way from Africa to France, especially for a giraffe. Yet in 1824, young, comely Zarafa began the trek from her village—by felucca up the Nile to Alexandria, by sailing ship across the Mediterranean, and by walking 500 miles from Marseille, where she landed, to Paris, where she was presented to King Charles X as a gift from Muhammad Ali, the viceroy of Egypt. St. George relates this true event in a conversational style, drawing readers into the journey with anecdotes about Zarafa's likability and serene nature, regardless of the confusion often surrounding her. Seamlessly, the author weaves information into the story, telling how the giraffe was fed and cared for by her ever-present and loyal handler, Atir, and giving other details of her travels. Cheered everywhere she appeared, Zarafa became an instant celebrity. The king, charmed by his "enchanted gift," built a home for the giraffe in the King's Garden. Spencer takes full advantage of the spreads, offering background particulars while placing Zarafa at the center of the story. Rich, pleasing colors and expressive, animated lines add to the presentation. Children will enjoy this book, and teachers will find it a suitable link to studies on Africa and France, as well as to other animals that have experienced unusual lives.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

PreS—This collection of familiar lullabies and poems is enhanced by soft, dreamlike artwork and attractively designed, quiltlike borders. The classic verses and songs are coupled with soft and lovable illustrations of animals and sprinkled with a touch of glitter to make bedtime seem magical. Deep blues and purples evoke a blanket of warmth and a feeling of heavy slumber. Though the lullaby is a well-represented theme in children's literature, this rich and varied compilation brings comfort and assurance to the bedtime routine.—Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY

K-Gr 2—Mama and Buddy Bear from Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! (Marshall Cavendish, 2003) are back. After a short drive to the Nature Center, they follow the Blue Diamond Trail to learn about sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Wallace's text is clear, lively, and fun. "Mama?' 'Yes, Bud.' 'What did the pebble sleep on?' 'What?' 'BEDrock!'" While the origami and cut-paper collage illustrations are attractive, they may be too childish for the text, and the youngsters who would most appreciate them might not understand the complex ideas of erosion and the different layers of rock. Still, the book offers a great deal of information in a few pages, which makes it useful to teachers.—Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ

Gr 1–4—Winter and Egielski succeed admirably in making the relationship between a Victorian librettist and a composer of comic operas accessible to children. More astonishing still is that the silliness and drama are rooted in reality, as revealed in the author's note. Readers initially encounter the dark cloud of poverty that characterized this period. The mood is lifted at the "topsy-turvy" world of the opera, but it quickly becomes evident that Sullivan is tired of the same old silly situations: "Fairies with battery-operated wings got married to stuffy old men in bad wigs." Hearing Gilbert's next idea, Sullivan snaps. The two are at an impasse, until Gilbert stumbles on a Japanese street fair that provides the exotic new setting needed to renew the friendship and conceive The Mikado. The pirate, sailor, constable, and kimono-clad woman interacting on the cover will draw children inside, across the dedication page, and into the theater, where this slice of history unfolds in the foreground, as if on a stage, framed by changing proscenium arches, architectural models, or spotlights. Winter balances interesting descriptions, juvenile arguing, and funny details, such as the names that Gilbert penned, e.g., "Titipu" and "Yum-Yum." Egielski notes that his watercolor and ink scenes draw inspiration from Peter Max, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Hiroshige, among others. (Sendak's influence is discernable, too.) There are surprises around each corner, from the miniature stage and simple wooden dolls that Gilbert used to test his ideas to the same scene realized as a vibrant Japanese finale. A class act.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Gr 3–5—The mother-son duo offers another book of concept poetry, this time focusing on reflections found in nature. Yolen's dozen short verses are paired with Stemple's arresting photographs of raccoons, alligators, coyotes, and a number of water birds. As with Color Me a Rhyme (2000), Count Me a Rhyme (2006), and Shape Me a Rhyme (2007, all Boyds Mills), this book is an excellent complement to nature studies. As the author notes in her introduction, to reflect on something is to give it a second look and, perhaps, to see it in a new light. The final poem, "Crazy Legs," finds a snowy egret against a background of blue, its stick legs distorted in its watery reflection: "The egret's/Stark perfection/Now marked/By strange bisection./So bent, this odd/Direction/Demands a new/Inspection." Teachers and students should find this thoughtful combination of wordplay, nature factoids, and photographs worthwhile.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA