Ada, Alma Flor Let Me Help! I iQuiero ayudar!

32 pp. Children's isbn 978-0-89239-232-2 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Angela Domínguez. Pet parrot Perico knows how to say "Let me help!" He repeats this statement as his (human) famUy members prepare for the San Antonio Cinco de Mayo festival. They shoo him away, but to everyone's surprise he eventuaUy finds a way to help. Warmhearted iUustrations - from a bird's-eye view - support the famUy-centered text, printed in both EngUsh and Spanish. TW

Akbarpour, Ahmad Good Night, Commander

24 pp. Groundwood isbn 978-0-88899-989-4 $17.95

(5) Translated by Shadi Eskandani and Helen Mixter. Illustrated by Morteza Zahedi. An Iranian boy, who lost his mother and his leg during the Iran-Iraq war, play-acts his revenge fantasies in his room. The story is so intent on enUghtening readers that it ultimately fails to engage them. It's also difficult to get a handle on the iUustrations, largely aerial views that appear to have been drawn by a chUd. NB

Al Abdullah, Queen Rania The Sandwich Swap

32 pp. Hyperion isbn 978-1-4231-2484-9 $16.99

(4) With Kelly DiPucchio. IUustrated by Tricia Tusa. One day PB & J enthusiast LUy, tired of keeping mum, confronts her best friend, habitual hummus-eater Salma, about her exotic lunch, and the whole school gets involved in the (food) fight. HappUy, humor leavens Queen Rania's timely if predictable message about cultural sensitivity. MeanwhUe, Tusa demonstrates how comical and tender iUustrations can amiably coexist. NB

Alexander, Claire Small Florence, Piggy Pop Star!

32 pp. Whitman isbn 978-0-8075-7455-3 $16.99

(3) Florence dreams of becoming a piggy pop star in this story about stick-to-it-iveness and believing in yourseU. Unlike her confident singing sisters, Florence is shy; she sings in secret. But when stage fright sidelines her siblings during a competition, Florence musters her courage, takes the stage, and wins. Saturated with blues and yeUows, the iUustrations enhance the text with fiUips of humor, cls

Anderson, Melissa The Big Fib

32 pp. Shadow isbn 978-1-60641-671-6 $17.99

(4) IUustrated by Casey Nelson. After she breaks the cookie jar whUe trying to sneak a treat, a girl tells her dubious mom an elaborate whopper. The rhymes have adequate punch when not contorted with preachiness ("I've learned a big lesson about fibbing today. / I wUl never teU lies - it's the truth I wiU say!"). Likewise, the iUustrations have verve, if not always grace. NB

Andrews, Julie, and Emma Walton Hamilton The Very Fairy Princess

32 pp. Little isbn 978-0-316-04050-1 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Christine Davenier. A modern-day girl explains what it's Uke to be a "fairy princess." With its selfregarding narrator and edifying parentheticals ("Fairy princesses are very practical . . . Fairy princesses are very supportive"), this moderately entertaining book owes a conspicuous debt to Fancy Nancy. Happily, Davenier is at her best, giving the pink-bedecked girl relatable real-world attributes such as unkempt hair and unroyal posture. NB

Appelt, Kathi Brand-New Baby Blues

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper isbn 978-0-06-053233-8 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Kelly Murphy. A new big sister sings the blues: "Once everything was peachy, / once everything was fine. / Now my brand-new baby brother / takes up all my mama's time." Appelt's rhymes are, occasionally, a reach, but older siblings will easily relate to the pensive narrator. Murphy's illustrations feature mood ring-like backdrops that change to sunnier hues as the girl warms up to her new sibling. NB

Arnosky, Jim Slow Down for Manatees

32 pp. Putnam isbn 978-0-399-24170-3 $16.99

(2) A pregnant manatee hurt by a boat propeller's blades is rescued and transferred to an aquarium. She gives birth, then mother and offspring are released back home. Arnosky's signature style is perfect for conveying the gentle bulk of the manatees as they glide through both the sunny, pastel mangroves of their natural habitat and the smaller, confined waters of the aquarium. Review 5/10. djf

Avraham, Kate Aver What Will You Be, Sara Mee?

32 pp. Charlesbridge isbn 978-1-58089-210-0 $16.95

PE isbn 978-1-58089-211-7 $7.95

(3) Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. A Korean American big brother tells of the events leading up to his baby sister's toi (first birthday party). At the party, Sara Mee picks the paintbrush from among the symbolic objects placed before her, foretelling her future career as an artist. The warm ink and watercolor illustrations are filled with cultural details. Glos. MG

Banks, Kate The Eraserheads

40 pp. Farrar/Foster isbn 978-0-374-39920-7 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Eraserheads Owl, Crocodile, and Pig have the important job of removing mistakes. All is well until the day Crocodile erases too much. Trapped in a boy's drawing, the Eraserheads use their skills to escape wild beasts, and they discover that without mistakes, "There'd be nothing to learn." Kulikov's richly imaginative illustrations make good use of perspective to pull readers into Banks's tabletop adventure, chs

Barroux Extraordinary Pets

40 pp. Blue Apple isbn 978-1-60905-011-5 $15.99

(3) Humorous and full of appeal, this folded-page book contrasts everyday pets with more unusual choices. Thick pages anchored with eye-popping orange show a child holding a leash that leads to a common pet. Unfolding the page reveals the "extraordinary" option. ("A bunny hops BUT. . . / a flamingo walks tall.") The wannabe pet owners each resemble the more atypical critter. SH

Barton, Chris Shark vs. Train

40 pp. Little isbn 978-0-316-00762-7 $16.99

(2) Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. If a shark is pitted against a train, which would win? The answer depends on the contest: the train's belch is louder, but he's no match for the shark when jumping off the high dive. Barton's deadpan text - sparked with dialogue balloons that give the characters both personality and one-liners - is matched by Lichtenheld's spot-on visual humor. Review 7/10. CP

Beckhorn, Susan Williams Moose Power!: Muskeg Saves the Day

40 pp. Down East isbn 978-0-89272-762-9 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Amy Huntington. Fearing he will have to give up his farm when his horse becomes too old to work, Jean du Bois and his grandson Ti'Jean find a clever solution in Muskeg, the moose they rescued when he was an orphaned calf. The lengthy text presents a bygone farming era. Full-spread paintings, though stiff, depict Maine in all its seasonal glories. Glos, rrw

Bennett, Kelly Dad and Pop: An Ode to Fathers & Stepfathers

40 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-3379-0 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Paul Meisel. A girl lists the differences between her father and stepfather ("Pop takes pictures. Dad takes naps") but concludes by noting their common ground: "They both love me!" This reassuring book will appeal to a wide audience beyond those readers who share the narrator's domestic situation. Meisel's illustrations portray the two dads' divergent looks and sensibilities. NB

Berenstain, Jan, and Mike Berenstain The Berenstain Bears Go Out to Eat

32 pp. HarperFestival isbn 978-0-06-057409-3 $10.99

(5) Because Mama Bear works hard doing the cooking and cleaning, Papa Bear and the cubs take her out to dinner. The restaurant dinner turns out to be almost as much trouble as a meal at home, but there are no dishes to wash. As is typical of the series, the moral takes precedence over story, and traditional gender roles prevail, mvk

Berenstain, Stan, and Jan Berenstain The Berenstain Bears Discover God's Creation

40 pp. Zonderkidz isbn 978-0-310-71936-6 $6.99

Berenstain, Stan, and Jan Berenstain The Berenstain Bears Do Their Best

40 pp. Zonderkidz isbn 978-0-310-71937-3 $6.99

Berenstain, Stan, and Jan Berenstain The Berenstain Bears Hurry to Help

40 pp. Zonderkidz isbn 978-0-310-71938-0 $6.99

Berenstain, Stan, and Jan Berenstain The Berenstain Bears Learn to Share

40 pp. Zonderkidz isbn 978-0-310-71939-7 $6.99

(6) With Mike Berenstain. Living Lights series. These titles make direct links between good behavior and Christian values in a way that is convoluted and forced (e.g., in Best, the cubs' homemade kite wins a competition because they have faith in their father's skill and "faith in God's help"). The rhyming texts are atrocious and, per usual, moral trumps story every time, mvk

Best, Cari Easy as Pie

40 pp. Farrar ISBN 978-0-374-39929-0 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Jacob, who loves to bake, attempts to make his first pie for his parents' anniversary. He dutifully follows his favorite TV chef's baking rules, cleverly using them to resolve problems, including buying himself - and his pie - more time. Sweet's illustrations, sprinkled with eye-catching patterns, complete this joyful tribute to perseverance. A "Happy Peach Pie" recipe is included. RRW

Bildner, Phil The Hallelujah Flight

32 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-24789-7 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by John Holyfield. This story is based on the 1932 flight of James Banning and Thomas Allen, the first African Americans to fly across America. Bildner's tale touches on some of the highs and lows of the journey, including the kindness of people they meet along the way. Holyfield's richly hued and well-shaded acrylic paintings show Banning and Allen taking to the skies. JSK

* Birtha, Becky Lucky Beans

32 pp. Whitman ISBN 978-0-8075-4782-3 $16.99

(2) Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell. Passing by a furniture store window, Marshall sees a large jar filled with beans. The person who guesses the number of beans gets a sewing machine, and Marshall is determined to win it. He applies the estimating skills he has learned at school with happy results. Soft watercolor paintings show a working-class African American family in a 1930s small-town setting. Review 5/10. SDL

Bloch, Serge Reach for the Stars: And Other Advice for Life's Journey

32 pp. Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-7129-3 $12.95

(4) About two-dozen cumulatively tiresome cuches about life ("You might feel like a fish out of water or like a small fish in a big pond") make up this volume. There's an element of much-welcome tongue-in-cheek fun in the minimalist line drawings, which are cleverly augmented by spot photographs. NB

Bogue, Gary There's a Hummingbird in My Backyard

40 pp. Heyday ISBN 978-1-59714-131-4 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by Chuck Todd. A female hummingbird nests in the backyard of the Baker family's house; her eggs hatch and the fledglings learn to fly. Bogue intersperses facts about these quick and tiny birds with a very loose story of the Baker family taking care of them. Todd's illustrations complement the tale's themes of wonder and discovery, but his nature scenes are stronger than the human figures. Reading list, websites. PIH

* Bottner, Barbara Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't)

32 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-84682-3 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-94682-0 $20.99

(2) Illustrated by Michael Emberley A first grader finds her school librarian's passion for books "vexing," to say the least. She also dismisses her classmates' book choices: "Too flowery"; "Too clickety." But when her mother brings out Shrek! she finally meets a book she can love. In Emberley's ebullient pencil and watercolor pictures, the little girl's stubbornness is reflected in her wearing the same outfit day after day. Review 5/10. SDL

Boyle, Bob Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String

32 pp. Random ISBN 978-0-375-83423-3 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-93423-0 $18.99

(3) When Hugo spots a red string, he's convinced that if he follows it he'll find something fabulous. He doesn't - the string leads him on a circuitous journey to a pair of his own underwear - but he accumulates enough friends along the way to make up for his disappointment and embarrassment. Geometric, cartoony art captures the story's humor and celebrates new friendships. NB

Brett, Jan The Easter Egg

32 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-25238-9 $17.99

(4) Hoppi the bunny hopes to win the egg-decorating contest and assist the Easter Rabbit on Easter. But Mother Robin's egg falls out of her nest, so Hoppi sacrifices his dream to rescue and protect it. It's Hoppi's act of kindness, however, that earns him the honor of helping the Easter Rabbit. Brett's saccharine text is well matched by her meticulous illustrations. RRW

Brisson, Pat Sometimes We Were Brave

32 pp. Boyds ISBN 978-1-59078-586-7 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by France Brassard. Jerome describes how he feels when his mother, a sailor with the U.S. Navy, is away at sea. Brisson is better with the story's emotions, some of which Jerome transfers to his dog, than with the story's definition of bravery, which Jerome overexplains. The somewhat generic-sounding narration is offset by photorealistic watercolors that help personalize the story. NB

Broach, Elise Gumption!

40 pp. Atheneum ISBN 978-1-4169-1628-4 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Richard Egielski. On safari in Africa, Peter's adventures - he swings Tarzan-on-a-vine style from a snake, he gets a piggyback ride from a gorilla, etc. - aren't noticed by oblivious Uncle Nigel, whose maxim is "All it takes is a bit of gumption." It's a good yarn with, unfortunately, an anticlimactic ending. Droll illustrations feature tree-branch-like frames that become overgrown with plant life as pages turn. NB

Brown, Alan James Love-a-Duck

32 pp. Holiday ISBN 978-0-8234-2263-0 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Francesca Chessa. A rubber ducky, whose owner, Jane, laments that he "can't even squeak," faUs out the bathroom window. His journey takes him aU over town, but wiU he make it back to the bathroom safely? Will Jane stUl love him, despite his wonky squeak ("squoo, squoo!")? Chessa's emotionally rich iUustrations show the protagonists in a sympathetic light, drawing readers into the story. NB

Brown, Monica Chavela and the Magic Bubble

32 pp. Clarion ISBN 978-0-547-24197-5 $16.00

(3) Illustrated by Magaly Morales. A bubble blown from Magic Chicle chewing gum whisks Chavela away to the jungles of Yucatan. There she sees her grandmother's stories in action as chicleros harvest sap for gum from sapodilla trees. Brown's imaginative tale is paired with Morales's whimsical illustrations full of eye-catching swirls and candy colors. Brown wisely leaves her "stewards-of-nature" message for the author's note. Websites. ACS

Browning, Diane Signed, Abiah Rose

32 pp. Tricycle ISBN 978-1-58246-311-7 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-1-58246-347-6 $18.99

(4) Pioneer girl Abiah Rose tells of how she pursued the life of a painter, despite being discouraged (Papa: "Serious painting is not girl's work"). Because the narrative is so lively and eventful, the story, a veUed history lesson, will engage readers as much as it enUghtens them. The acrylic and colored-pencil art compensates for some lack of polish with its marvelous particularity. Reading list. Glos. NB

Bruchac, Joseph My Father Is Taller than a Tree

32 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3173-8 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Wendy Halperin. In lumbering rhymes ("Pop shows me how to ride a bike. / I'm too grown-up now for a trike"), Bruchac describes the many pleasures that boys and their fathers can share: raking leaves, walking into town, laughing together. Each spread features multipaneled, soft-hued iUustrations that help narrate the stories of thirteen diverse father-and-son pairs, RRW

Burell, Sarah Diamond Jim Dandy and the Sheriff

40 pp. Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-5737-2 $14.95

(3) Illustrated by Bryan Langdo. Dustpan, Texas, is so boring that the arrival of a rattlesnake is welcome entertainment - to everyone but the sheriff. The lawman wants to run the snake out of town - until the varmint proves his mettle by saving a baby. As yarns go, it's a pretty good one, with Illustrations that capture the Old West's sandblasted look. NB

Burg, Sarah Emmanuelle Do You Still Love Me?

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2293-1 $14.95

(5) Rabbit Carrot is convinced that her squabbling parents no longer love each other - or her. Carrot's bird friend, Oscar, helps elicit Mom and Dad's reassurance ("When we argue, it doesn't mean we don't love each other anymore. And we love you all the time"). While the story is trite, the illustrations are suitably gentle, though two spreads feature characters whose identities aren't initially clear. NB

Burleigh, Robert Good-Bye, Sheepie

32 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5598-1 $16.99

(5) Illustrated by Peter Catalanotto. After Owen finds his elderly sheepdog has died, his dad helps him cope by answering questions, sharing memories, and digging the dog's grave. The book may comfort some readers who have lost a pet, but its focus is too narrow. Catalanotto's art is somewhat shaky, but he's soUd when rendering sunlight and shadow. NB

Button, Lana Willow's Whispers

32 pp. Kids Can ISBN 978-1-55453-280-3 $16.95

(5) Illustrated by Tania HoweUs. "Willow's words came out in whispers." Her classmates and teacher take little notice of her until she makes a magic microphone from recycled materials and uses it to project her voice. The message trumps the story in this pedantic offering about a young girl struggling to be heard. Spare digitally rendered drawings have a childlike quality but are devoid of emotion, CLS

Buzzeo, Toni Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten

32 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3358-9 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Amy Wummer. Kindergarten doesn't daunt Annie: garbed in a star-spangled headband, a red cape, and cowboy boots, she's on the alert for first-day adventures. Retrieving two classmates who have gotten lost, she earns the Gold Star Deputy badge for the day. The watercolor and pencil Illustrations are as cheery as Annie herself. Though her first-person narration doesn't always ring true, her enthusiasm does, CLS

Buzzeo, Toni No T. Rex in the Library

32 pp. McElderry ISBN 978-1-4169-3927-6 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. Tess, in time-out for her "beastie behavior" at the library, accidentally shakes free a T. Rex from a book's pages. The mischievous dino rampages through the library while Tess tries to control him ("Take care! . . . The books . . ."). This lesson about regaining self-control isn't heavy-handed, and readers will enjoy the vibrant mixed-media iUustrations that display Tess's vivid imagination. SN

Byrne, Gayle Sometimes It's Grandmas and Grandpas, Not Mommies and Daddies

32 pp. Abbeville ISBN 978-0-7892-1028-9 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by Mary Haverfield. Published fall 2009. A young girl spends a lot of time cuddling with Nonnie and Poppy - the grandparents who are raising her - in this affectionate but overly precious tribute to an increasingly common family situation. Soft-hued, realistic watercolor pictures portray the loving bond between the girl and her grandparents. Websites, CLS

Caro Ian, Christine Marinone Flowers for Pudding Street

32 pp. Shenanigan ISBN 978-1-934860-02-1 $15.95

(3) Published fall 2009. Who is planting sunflowers along Pudding Street? Nobody can figure it out, except the canine narrator - and the reader, who'll quickly spot the bird that appears in nearly every illustration, stealing sunflower seeds and "planting" (actually dropping) them. The bright yellows and oranges in the illustrations match the tone of the cheery narration. An author's note explains how seeds get planted in nature, MFS

Castor, Harriet, Reteller Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

32 pp. Barron's ISBN 978-0-7641-6333-3 $18.99

(4) Illustrated by Zdenko Basic. "Do not have definite expectations before you start your journey," advises W. Rabbit, Esquire, in a small attached booklet at the beginning of this interactive volume. Readers travel through a Wonderland where pulling tabs makes the bobble-headed Alice grow and the Cheshire Cat disappear. The zany illustrations are distractingly busy but intriguingly creepy. Castor's heavily abridged text may draw readers to Carroll's original. CP

Charters, Janet The General

48 pp. Candlewick/ Templar ISBN 978-0-7636-4875-6 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Michael Foreman. Reissue (1961, Dutton). This reissue of the first book Foreman illustrated (published in 1961 when he was in art school) tells of a general who sees the error of his ways. After spending a day in the countryside admiring the flowers, he sends his soldiers home to cultivate their own communities. Foreman's striking watercolor and gouache illustrations, although dated, are the strength of this morality tale, MVK

Chin, Oliver The Year of the Tiger: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac

40 pp. Immedium ISBN 978-1-59702-020-6 $15.95

(5) Illustrated by Justin Roth. Tiger-year people, according to this book, are "courageous and charismatic . . . rash and unpredictable" and "the fiercest of friends." The story tells of two such characters, a tiger named Teddy and a girl named Su who bring their families and friends together. Like the other series entries, the text is hard to follow and the cartoon illustrations are amateurish. MG

Colato Laínez, René My Shoes and I

32 pp. Boyds ISBN 978-1-59078-385-6 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck. Sturdy shoes and a familiar Hispanic nursery rhyme comfort Mario as he and his father make their way, by bus and by foot, from El Salvador to the United States. Colato Laínez's text has some gaps (why is Mario's mother alone in America? is Mario an illegal immigrant?), but Broeck's use of color and shadow yields powerful visuals that convey the difficulty and danger of the trek north. SN

Colato Laínez, René The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez

32 pp. Tricycle ISBN 978-1-58246-296-7 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-1-58246-342-1 $18.99

(4) Illustrated by Tom Lintern. The Tooth Fairy and her counterpart, mouse El Ratón Pérez, argue over Miguelito's tooth, which sparkles brightly in Lintern's illustrations. Ultimately, the two learn to work together and share the tooth. Colato Laínez's tale is message-y (honor your heritage; cooperate with others) but entertaining. The back matter about the folkloric figures is engaging. Spanish words appear throughout the text. Glos. TW

Conway, David Errol and His Extraordinary Nose

32 pp. Holiday ISBN 978-0-8234-2262-3 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Roberta Angaramo. When a school talent show is announced, Errol the Elephant worries that he has no special talent. His father gives him a book about elephants that inspires Errol to demonstrate the versatility of his very useful nose. The predictable story is rescued by Angaramo's vibrant, energetic illustrations full of affection for the little pachyderm, RRW

* Cooper, Elisha Farm

48 pp. Scholastic/Orchard ISBN 978-0-545-07075-1 $17.99

(1) Cooper provides a through-the-year look at a farm. Constantly varying spreads, including neat collections of spot art, keep things lively, capturing the essentials of farm life, big and small. In language both poetic and straightforward, Cooper conveys sights and sounds, with illustrations offering evidence to back up the text. As thorough and pleasing an introduction to a farm as one could ask. Review 5/10. JMB

Cosentino, Ralph Superman: The Story of the Man of Steel

40 pp. Viking ISBN 978-0-670-06285-0 $16.99

(3) The superhero's origin story is given a picture book treatment. Beginning with his birth on Krypton and continuing with his childhood on Earth, the story ends short of an actual adventure, though it does tack on an introduction to some of Superman's primary enemies. The digital illustrations, with thick outlines and simplified details, are a little more garish than the original comics, DE

Covey, Sean A Place for Everything

32 pp. Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-9425-1 $7.99

(5) Illustrated by Stacy Curtis. 7 Habits of Happy Kids series. A rabbit named Jumper, eager to play basketball, can't find his sneakers in his messy room. The illustrations are pleasant enough, but readers won't be fooled into thinking that this is anything but a way for grownups to preach at them about cleaning their rooms. SH

Cox, Judy Cinco de Mouse-O!

32 pp. Holiday ISBN 978-0-8234-2194-7 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler. In his second outing, Mouse follows his nose to a Cinco de Mayo celebration, which offers opportunities for scavenging and adventure. Lively acrylic paintings from a variety of perspectives show Mouse taking in the sights, trying to elude Cat, and getting a wild ride on a piñata. The resolution is weak, but readers will take away some information about the holiday. KF

Crane, Carol The Handkerchief Quilt

32 pp. Sleeping Bear ISBN 978-1-58536-344-5 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by Gary Palmer. When pipes burst at school, most of the books and supplies are ruined. Teacher Miss Anderson donates her handkerchief collection, and the community comes together to make a quilt and raise money. The tale is based on true events (Miss Anderson is modeled after the author's mother), and Crane's writing is earnest but bland. Palmer's illustrations, though static, are warmhearted. PR

* Croza, Laurel J Know Here

32 pp. Groundwood ISBN 978-0-88899-923-8 $18.95

(1) Illustrated by Matt James. A little girl's family is moving from its one-road community in the wilderness to Toronto. The narrative is intensely first-personal, as the girl describes the things and places that matter most to her. While the text is deUberate and declarative, the iUustrations are extravagantly expressionistic; round, comforting shapes are everywhere, from the curve of the purple-black road to the communal old-fashioned TV. Review 5/10. RS

Crummel, Susan Stevens Ten-Gallon Bart Beats the Heat

40 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5634-6 $17.99

(4) Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. To escape the "tongue-hanging-out" heat of Dog City, Ten-Gallon Bart heads up to Alaska to enjoy some sledding, fishing, and digging for gold. Grumpy grizzlies, a sled-dog-driving moose, and a dog-burying storm leave him longing for home. Fans of Ten-Gallon Bart may appreciate this third book, but the story is fairly weak on its own. The cut-paper illustrations are well rendered. RRW

Cummings, Troy The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out! (Big-Time!)

40 pp. Random ISBN 978-0-375-86582-4 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-96582-1 $19.99

(4) The story begins familiarly but takes a detour: Eensy Spider refuses to climb back up the fabled spout ("If I had a neck, I could have broken it!"). The book is less a witty parody than an excuse for a run-of-the-mill perseverance pep talk. The art's old-fashioned quality is appropriate in a tale inspired by an ageless children's song. NB

Curious George and the Pizza Party

24 pp. Houghton ISBN 978-0-547-23211-9 $12.95

Written by Cynthia Platt.

Happy Easter, Curious George

24 pp. Houghton ISBN 978-0-547-04825-3 $9.99

Written by R. P. Anderson.

(5) Illustrated by Mary O'Keefe Young. In Happy Easter, George impresses everyone with his four-handed Easter egg decorating and juggling. In Pizza Party, George is invited to a create-your-own-pizza party, where he makes a mess. They're two more plot-by-numbers Curious George adventures. The illustrations are decent-enough imitations of Rey's style, although characters wear the same dopey expression on nearly every page, NB

Cuyler, Margery I Repeat, Don't Cheat!

32 pp. Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-7167-2 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Arthur Howard. Jessica's best friend Lizzie begins copying Jessica's spelling tests. Lizzie also takes credit for a poem that was really written by Jessica. Cartoonlike pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations effectively show Jessica's growing anxiety over how to address her pal's behavior without being labeled a tattletale or endangering their friendship. This conflict-resolution book manages to not be too message-y CAL

* Czekaj, Jef Hip & Hop, Don't Stop!

40 pp. Hyperion ISBN 978-1-4231-1664-6 $16.99

(2) Czekaj recasts the "Tortoise and the Hare" adversaries as a wannabe-rapper turtle-and-rabbit pair. Each animal's crew disapproves of the other, but at the County Rap-Off all the creatures unite to kick it old-school. The off-the-wall silliness in Czekaj's text balances his can't-we-all-just-get-along message. Cartoon illustrations offer loads of humor for those hep to the hip-hop scene. Review 5/10. ERG

DeLand, M. Maitland The Great Katie Kate Tackles Questions About Cancer

32 pp. Greenleaf ISBN 978-1-60832-027-1 $14.95

(6) Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. In this clumsy attempt at bibliotherapy, young Suzy might have cancer. Sort-of-superhero Great Katie Kate appears to answer Suzy's questions; her information helps decrease Suzy's "Worry Wombat" ("If you ask enough questions and smile whenever you can, the Worry Wombat will shrink and disappear"). Amateurish cartoon illustrations in Popsicle colors show happy, smiling children in all phases of cancer treatment, GBH

DePalma, Mary Newell The Perfect Gift

32 pp. Scholastic/Levine ISBN 978-0-545-15402-4 $16.99

(4) Lori, a little lorikeet bird, loses her present for Grandma but finds a better gift in the tale of her adventures with three new friends (a chipmunk, a goose, a frog) and one hungry crocodile. Lively and colorful, DePalma's acrylic illustrations outshine the unremarkable text. Still, readers will enjoy this tale of friendship, gift-giving, and book-making. EJM

deRubertis, Barbara Alexander Anteater's Amazing Act

32 pp. Kane Press LE ISBN 978-1-57565-304-4 $22.60

PE ISBN 978-1-57565-300-6 $7.95

deRubertis, Barbara Corky Cub's Crazy Caps

32 pp. Kane Press LE ISBN 978-1-57565-306-8 $22.60

PE ISBN 978-1-57565-302-0 $7.95

deRubertis, Barbara Eddie Elephant's Exciting Egg-Sitting

32 pp. Kane Press LE ISBN 978-1-57565-316-7 $22.60

PE ISBN 978-1-57565-309-9 $7.95

deRubertis, Barbara Gertie Gorilla's Glorious Gift

32 pp. Kane Press LE ISBN 978-1-57565-318-1 $22.60

PE ISBN 978-1-57565-311-2 $7.95

deRubertis, Barbara Izzy Impala's Imaginary Illnesses

32 pp. Kane Press LE ISBN 978-1-57565-320-4 $22.60

PE ISBN 978-1-57565-313-6 $7.95

(5) Illustrated by R. W. Alley. Animal Antics A to Z series. Though a couple of the story lines are not terrible, all of these books are crammed with words that include the featured letter, making for a distracting and unsatisfying reading experience. Alley's lighthearted illustrations are more limber than the texts. Unnecessary last-page features include animal facts and phonemic awareness activities. There are five other spring 2010 books in this series, SRA

de Sève, Randall Mathilda and the Orange Balloon

32 pp. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray

ISBN 978-0-06-172685-9 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Jen Corace. Young sheep Mathilda's world is filled with "Gray skies. Gray stones. Gray sheep, gray sheep, gray sheep." When an orange balloon floats by, Mathilda's imagination fills with color, as she realizes "anything was possible." Corace's uncluttered illustrations with lots of white space match the simple story and capture the optimism of the buoyant (literally) little sheep, CHS

Devlin, Jane Hattie the Bad

32 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3447-0 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Joe Berger. When Hattie, who does "exciting bad things" that make her unpopular with her friends' parents, decides to switch gears, she discovers that being good has its own punishment. Her televised response to winning the "Best-Behaved Child" competition is pure kidhumor gold, and the illustrations, in which "good" Hattie's backdrop is prim pink and "bad" Hattie's is brash orange, are a stitch, NB

Diesen, Deborah The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade

32 pp. Tricycle ISBN 978-1-58246-274-5 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Tracy Dockray A band of babies take to the streets in protest: "We won't get our hair cut. / We won't wear our sun caps. / We won't play with smart toys to skip us a grade." Some of the rhymes lose their way, but the overall concept is clever. Humorous digital illustrations give the wee protesters the hardened look of veteran activists. NB

DiPucchio, Kelly Alfred Zector, Book Collector

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-000581-8 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-000582-5 $17.89

(4) Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan. Young Alfred Zector nabs every last book in town, leaving the place "quite dullish, plain dreary, and wholly humdrum." Upon completing his collection, an aged Alfred asks, "Now what?" and predictably realizes that something's missing. The lively illustrations make palatable a familiar lesson: "The best kinds of books are the books that are shared." CHS

Duddle, Jonny The Pirate Cruncher

40 pp. Candlewick/ Templar ISBN 978-0-7636-4876-3 $15.99

(4) Ignoring all warnings, pirates search for treasure - until the title sea creature teaches them a snappy, if heavytentacled, lesson about greed. The rhyming text is humorous, but its inconsistent meter forces wordiness in some places. Illustrations use strong contrasts between light and dark, culminating in a foldout that reveals the Cruncher to readers before its victims see it. SF

Durango, Julia Go-Go Gorillas

32 pp. Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-3779-1 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Eleanor Taylor. King Big Daddy of Great Gorilla Villa summons his kin via mouse messenger. The rhymes introducing each of his ten relatives, who employ diverse modes of transportation (including pogo stick), have the clickety-clack precision of a train. Meanwhile, the cheeky art ups the humor quotient: look for brand-newbaby gorilla Priscilla - the reason for Big Daddy's summons - in her propeller-driven highchair-throne. NB

Edwards, Pamela Duncan Princess Pigtoria and the Pea

32 pp. Scholastic/Orchard ISBN 978-0-545-15625-7 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Henry Cole. This version of the familiar fairy tale features a plethora of words beginning with the letter P. The princess here is a poor pig who, after a sleepless night in Prince Proudfoot's guest room, decides to marry Percy-the-Pizza-Pig instead. The alliteration gets annoying, but the watercolor illustrations of the peachtoned pigs are consistently playful. RSS

Elissa, Barbara The Remarkable Journey of Josh's Kippah

24 pp. Kar-Ben ISBN 978-0-8225-9911-1 $17.95

PE ISBN 978-0-8225-9933-3 $7.95

(4) Illustrated by Farida Zaman. One of the kippot (yarmulkes) made especially for Joshua Jacobs's bar mitzvah takes a whirlwind voyage around the world, tucked absentmindedly into the pockets of various travelers. As many journeys do, this one ends right where it began - back at Josh's synagogue. Though the variety of design elements create busy pages, the bright, cheery illustrations - along with the story line - have appeal. Glos. ALC

Ellis, Andy When Lulu Went to the Zoo

32 pp. Andersen ISBN 978-0-7613-5499-4 $16.95

(4) When Lulu, age "two times two," learns that the zoo animals wish to be free, she sneaks them all home with her. She and her menagerie - shown overcrowding the house in EUis's Uvely Ulustrations - are soon found out. But the fouryear-old and the zookeepers settle on a questionable compromise: Lululand, "a place / where each of the animals / had oodles of space." RLH

Ellis, Julie Pythagoras and the Ratios: A Math Adventure

32 pp. Charlesbridge ISBN 978-1-57091-775-2 $16.95

PE ISBN 978-1-57091-776-9 $7.95

(4) Illustrated by Phyllis Hornung Peacock. Neglecting his chores, young Pythagoras helps tune his cousins' lyres and pipes by using a mathematical ratio that yields harmonious tones. With instruments perfectly tuned, the cousins play in unison, wowing their audience. Readers old enough to grasp the math content may not be drawn in by the story's contrivances. Bland iUustrations show cartoony scenes of ancient Greece, TDA

Ernst, Lisa Campbell Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme

32 pp. Dutton ISBN 978-0-525-47873-7 $16.99

(3) To earn her Good-Deed Badge, Pig Scout Sylvia Jean decides to take care of an elderly neighbor who sprained her ankle. Sylvia Jean's help, however, is far too enthusiastic for the fraU Mrs. VanHooven, and she is banned from visiting. Sylvia Jean's ingenuity (she continues to visit - incognito), a surprise ending, and cheerful iUustrations make for a satisfying read. PR

Farrell, Darren Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib

40 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3437-1 $16.99

(4) At the circus, sheep Doug-Dennis Ues about eating his friend's popcorn and soon finds himseU whisked away high in the sky where he meets other fibbers with "their stiUgrowing fibs": "That grape juice spUled itseU"; "Seriously, the dog ate my homework." Squeezing in a multitude of visual and textual gags makes for some busy layouts, but the book's witty silliness never grows tiresome, NB

Feiffer, Kate But I Wanted a Baby Brother!

32 pp. Simon/Wiseman ISBN 978-1-4169-3941-2 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Diane Goode. OUver intends to trade his baby sister for a brother, or purchase one from a classified ad, but ultimately, the other babies just don't measure up. The story meanders a bit, but its winking probe of gender stereotypes will keep readers hooked until the surprise ending. Goode's watercolors capture Oliver's vacillating opinion of the blissfully oblivious babe, NB

Feiffer, Kate The Wild, Wild Inside: A View from Mommy's Tummy!

32 pp. Simon/Wiseman ISBN 978-1-4169-4099-9 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith. A baby in utero addresses the reader, countering her mother's stock answers ("The baby's sleeping," "The baby's eating") to the persistent question "What's the baby doing?" The layouts may confuse some kids: outsize illustrations from the baby's perspective ("I wasn't eating. How can you eat when you are playing baseball?") face "real-life" family scenes. NB

* Fischer, Hans Pitschi

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2278-8 $16.95

(2) Translated by Marianne Martens. Reissue (1953, Harcourt). Pitschi, dissatisfied with being a kitten, decides in turn to be a rooster (but doesn't like cockfights), a goat (but doesn't want to be milked), and a duck (but nearly drowns). Fussed over and given a party, at last she is happy to be herself. Six-color lithographs capture the acrobatics and attitudes of cats and are replete with child-appealing details. Review 10/53.

Foley, Greg Willoughby & the Moon

40 pp. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray

ISBN 978-0-06-154753-9 $18.99

(4) In this Willoughby & the Lion follow-up, Willoughby finds the missing moon in his closet, on which sits a giant snail; together they traverse the moon and the boy faces his fear of the dark. There's a haphazard quaUty to the story - perhaps Foley's real interest is his intriguing art, which has the look of black-and-white designs on tinfoil. NB

Ford, Gilbert Flying Lessons

40 pp. Hyperion ISBN 978-1-4231-1997-5 $16.99

(4) Though able to fly, a much bigger, louder, featherless jet doesn't fit in with a flock of doves. ("'You are not one of us/ they squawked.") But when an early frost grounds the birds, they accept a ride from the airplane. The change-of-heart ending is predictable, but the retro visuals of an airplane trying to roost alongside the doves will get some laughs, RRW

Formento, Alison This Tree Counts!

32 pp. Whitman ISBN 978-0-8075-7890-2 $16.99

(5) Illustrated by Sarah Snow. Mr. Tate tells his class, "Trees will speak only if you listen closely," whereupon an oak lists the creatures sheltering in its branches. The students then discuss other trees and their gifts and plant some new trees alongside the oak. Snow's eye-catching cut-paper collages are stronger than Formento 's scattered text in this plea-for-arboreal-appreciation/counting-book amalgam, MLB

Fox, Lee Ella Kazoo Will NOT Brush Her Hair

32 pp. Walker ISBN 978-0-8027-8836-8 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-0-8027-8755-2 $16.89

(3) Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas. "Ella Kazoo will not brush her frizz. / She cares not a bit how upset her mom is." Ella finally changes her tune the morning she wakes to find her hair creeping like kudzu around her bedroom. The premise may be fantastical, but readers - young and old - will recognize and relate to the parent/child power struggle. The gleeful illustrations star a confident, wild-maned spitfire. NB

Freedman, Claire Dinosaurs Love Underpants

32 pp. Simon/ Aladdin ISBN 978-1-4169-8938-7 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Ben Cort. Finally, a sound explanation for dinosaurs' extinction: their obsession with cavemen's underpants led to "a great briefs tug-of-war," during which the dinos were done in. It's all so hilariously ridiculous that readers won't mind if Freedman's rhymes sometimes lose the beat. Cort employs some fierce colors in his amusing illustrations of underwear-clad men and beasts, NB

Fromental, Jean-Luc Oops!

40 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-8749-4 $17.95

(4) Illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet. A slippery bar of soap is responsible for a traffic jam, escaped bears, and even alien visitors. Oversize pages follow a family racing through the chaos, trying to get to the airport. Fans of Fromental and Jolivet's 365 Penguins will enjoy tracking the sequence of events in the stylish illustrations; those left perplexed will welcome the appended guide to "the chain of catastrophes." CHS

Gadot, A. S. Tower of Babel

32 pp. Kar-Ben ISBN 978-0-8225-9917-3 $17.95

PE ISBN 978-0-8225-9952-4 $7.95

(4) Illustrated by Cecilia Rebora. This riff on the biblical story features a perfect but boring society. The residents decide to build a tower to heaven from which they could "rule the earth and the sky." After a thunderstorm, however, everyone inexplicably begins speaking a different language and the tower remains unfinished. The cheery illustrations and humorous text enhance the occasionally illogical story's light mood. AK

Gaiman, Neil Instructions

40 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-196030-7 $14.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-196031-4 $15.89

(4) Illustrated by Charles Vess. Gaiman and Vess take readers through a fantastical landscape, advising them along the way with directions both grand and minute. The text, first published in A Wolf at the Door, riffs on fairy-tale conventions and vacillates between mystical and didactic. Vess's illustrations, starring a Puss-in-Boots-type character, are expansive but a little bland. CP

Galbraith, Kathryn O. Arbor Day Square

32 pp. Peachtree ISBN 978-1-56145-517-1 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Cyd Moore. It's the mid-1800s, and prairie dweller Katie, her dad, and the townsfolk take up a collection, order some trees by telegraph, plant them, and begin a tradition of gathering in celebration once a year. This quiet story's primary value is its window onto a simpler time, reflected in the verdant watercolor and coloredpencil illustrations, NB

Garland, Sherry Voices of Gettysburg

40 pp. Pelican ISBN 978-1-58980-653-5 $16.99

(5) Illustrated by Judith Hierstein. From generals and privates to civilian women and men, sixteen fictionalized accounts give voice to those who experienced the events leading up to and following the Battle of Gettysburg. Unremarkable double-page-spread illustrations do little to enhance the generic tellings, and readers with limited Civil War knowledge will struggle to keep events and alliances straight. Reading list. Bib., glos. TLD

* Geisert, Arthur Country Road ABC: An Illustrated Journey Through America's Farmland

64 pp. Houghton ISBN 978-0-547-19469-1 $17.00

(2) Geisert combines a fresh look at modern family farming in the Midwest with an unerring eye for detail. The continuous sixty-four-page panorama follows a road from the city into the country. As we travel, day is followed by night - and summer is followed by fall, and then winter. Geisert's fine intaglio line with delicate watercolor is ideally suited to both close-ups and wide vistas. Glos. Review 5/10. LR

Geringer, Laura Boom Boom Go Away!

40 pp. Atheneum ISBN 978-0-689-85093-6 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Toys in a little boy's bedroom want to play their instruments instead of going to sleep, and each tells his or her parent to "Go away!" The colorful yet muted illustrations provide free-form counterpoint to the rhyming onomatopoeic ("bong bong / clink clink / plong plong") text. The "go away" refrain, however, seems to undermine the spirit of bedtime, DE

Gerstein, Mordicai Arnold of the Ducks

64 pp. Roaring Brook ISBN 978-1-59643-077-8 $16.99

(3) Reissue (1983, Harper). Plucked from his wading pool by "a nearsighted pelican," baby Arnold grows up with a loving family of ducks, who bring him up in duckdom as best they can, until he finds himself back with his human family. Gerstein's empathy with the world's wild children was evinced early in this picture book. RS

Gifford, Kathie Lee Party Animals

32 pp. Running ISBN 978-0-7624-3889-1 $17.95

(5) Illustrated by Peter Bay Alexandersen. Whiny Lucy Goosy finds fault with all her animal friends and concludes there's no one to invite to her birthday party. Owl suggests celebrating "how different each one of us is!" The pedestrian rhymes are as annoying as Lucy herself, the message is preachy, and though the chaotic illustrations add some humor, they can't salvage this offering. CD included. PR

Gilani-Williams, Fawzia, Reteller Nabeel's New Pants: An Eid Tale

24 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5629-2 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Proiti Roy. For Eid (the Muslim celebration following Ramadan), shoemaker Nabeel buys new clothing for his family. He also buys fine-but-too-long-pants for himself. The shopkeeper doesn't have time to shorten them; neither, at first, do his wife, daughter, or mother - so Nabeel takes matters into his own hands. The amusing tale (an Indian import) is illustrated with bold gouache and India-ink paintings. Glos. MG

Gollub, Matthew Jazz Fly 2: The Jungle Pachanga

40 pp. Tortuga ISBN 978-1-889910-44-4 $17.95

(4) Illustrated by Karen Hanke. Jazz Fly and his band are on their way to a gig at a Latin club, but to get there they have to overcome a slight language barrier. The Jazz Fly is a great read-aloud; although this sequel doesn't quite approach the level of the first, Gollub is still able to create a text that sounds like jazz music. TW

Gorbachev, Valeri The Best Cat

32 pp. Candlewick ISBN 978-0-7636-3675-3 $15.99

(3) As the family enjoys Bootsy the cat's play, brother Jeff imagines her as a clown, football star, or ballerina. Reality-based sister Ginny, however, declares Bootsy is "just a regular cat." Jeff concurs, but "she is the best cat in the world," and at last they agree. Gorbachev's enjoyable sketchy ink and watercolor illustrations give life to the daydreams and reality. PR

Gorbachev, Valeri What's the Big Idea, Molly?

40 pp. Philomel ISBN 978-0-399-25428-4 $16.99

(3) Mouse Molly returns - this time, to fret about what to give Turtle for his birthday. When her animal friends independently create nearly identical gifts (drawings of a tree), Molly saves the day by merging them into a book about the seasons. Gorbachev's watercolor and gouache illustrations, accented with ink, ably showcase his anthropomorphized animal cast and their bucolic setting. NB

Grogan, John Marley and the Kittens

40 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-171486-3 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-171487-0 $18.89

(5) Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey When two kittens move in with dog Marley and his human family, he gets scolded for doing his version of the adorable things they do (e.g., licking themselves clean). The promising premise is marred by grating and pedestrian prose ("'Waddy, you wock!' Baby Louie screeched. And the whole family laughed"). Cowdrey is equally adept at the story's slapstick and heartwarming moments. NB

Guiberson, Brenda Z. Moon Bear

40 pp. Holt ISBN 978-0-8050-8977-6 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Ed Young. A hungry moon bear emerges from "a long winter snooze" to explore her Himalayan home before winter returns yet again. As the bear introduces readers to her habitat, Young's bold yet comforting collage illustrations and Guiberson's lyrical question-andanswer text prompt logical, satisfying page turns. Back matter details the pUght of Asiatic black bears in captivity. AEC

Guidone, Thea Drum City

32 pp. Tricycle ISBN 978-1-58246-308-7 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-1-58246-348-3 $18.99

(4) Illustrated by Vanessa Newton. "Boy in the yard / drumming so hard, / calling all kids / to come drum in the yard." Scores of kids then adults grab "bowls and buckets," etc., for this city-wide percussive parade. The occasionally awkward rhyming text invites audience participation. Featuring a diverse crowd, the digital illustrations manage to look both retro and contemporary and match the text's energy. MG

* Harper, Charise Mericle Pink Me Up

40 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-85607-5 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-95607-2 $19.99

(2) Little rabbit Violet's mama is sick. Alas, Daddy, who owns exactly one item of pink clothing - a tie - and is a boy, wiU have to accompany Violet to the Pink Girls Pink-nic. How they have "the best day - EVER!" will inspire kids to think creatively when faced with a change in plans. Harper's slyly humorous acrylic art conveys Violet's pure joy. Review 5/10. JMB

Hector, Julian The Gentleman Bug

40 pp. Atheneum ISBN 978-1-4169-9467-1 $16.99

(4) Gentleman Bug loves to read, despite the teasing he receives from other insects. When Lady Bug comes to town, he tries hard - but fails - to impress her with his new fancy outfit. Ultimately, their shared love of books connects them. The tale is slight, but the detailed Illustrations of a Dickensian bug village will draw in readers. CHS

Helakoski, Leslie Big Chickens Go to Town

32 pp. Dutton ISBN 978-0-525-42162-7 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Henry Cole. In their third outing, the big chickens get distracted by a feed bag and find themselves on a bumpy truck ride into the city. Surrounded by strange noises, strange food, and strange animals, the chickens wonder if they'll ever get home. The text's message about not fearing the unknown is subtly delivered, and the ebuUient illustrations reflect the chickens' frantic personalities. RRW

Hendra, Sue Barry the Fish with Fingers

40 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-85894-9 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-95894-6 $18.99

(4) While fish Barry demonstrates various uses of his "fingers," he inadvertently saves his underwater friends from being crushed by a crate of "Pirate Jack's Tasty Fish Sticks." Revolving around a play on words that doesn't survive Americanizing, this isn't an especially substantive offering. Hendra's comedie timing is sound, however, and her gouache illustrations depict sea creatures swimming with personality. NB

Herman, Charlotte First Rain

32 pp. Whitman ISBN 978-0-8075-2453-4 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Kathryn Mitter. When Abby and her parents move to Israel, her grandmother stays behind. Abby misses Grandma, but they keep in contact through letters, e-mail, and phone calls. This touching, if sentimental, story begins and ends with rain and tears - first sad and then happy. Mitter 's cheerful acrylic illustrations showing Abby's new life and the happy family reunion bolster the Israel-travelogue-style story. AK

* Heyward, DuBose The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes

48 pp. Houghton ISBN 978-0-547-14418-4 $9.99

(2) Illustrated by Marjorie Flack. New ed. (1939). Bunny Cottontail longs to be an Easter bunny. And even though Cottontail becomes the mother of twenty-one bunnies - or perhaps because of the kind of mother she is - she gets her wish at last. A story kids will enjoy chiefly for the pictures drawn to a small child's taste. This edition includes a little golden shoes necklace. Review 5/39.

Himmelman, John Pigs to the Rescue

32 pp. Holt ISBN 978-0-8050-8683-6 $16.99

(3) Whenever the Greenstalks have a problem on their family farm (e.g., a garden hose leaks), it's "pigs to the rescue" (the porcine helpers nearly drown Mrs. Greenstalk while watering her garden). The story reads like a joke with a protracted setup - but readers won't see the punch line coming. The cartoony art features amusing reaction shots of the "rescued." NB

* Hoban, Russell The Sorely Trying Day

32 pp. NYRB ISBN 978-1-59017-343-5 $14.95

(2) Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. Reissue (1964, Harper). The book's cover - a sedate family portrait - sets the tone of this nostalgic joke, written and illustrated with sober, nineteenth-century formality. Poor, weary father, after "a sorely trying day," comes home to a commotion of brawling children, misbehaving pets, and a distraught mother. One by one the guilty characters repent, and peace and contentment are restored. A deliciously funny book. Review 6/64.

Hodgkinson, Leigh Smile!

32 pp. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray

ISBN 978-0-06-185269-5 $16.99

(4) Denied any more cookies before dinner, Sunny loses her smile - literally - and spends the book's length trying to find it. After Mom praises her for cleaning her room, her smile resurfaces. The story's winking cuteness is overdone, but the illustrations featuring a big-eyed moppet set against collage-meets-cartoonlike backgrounds are attention-grabbing. NB

Holabird, Katharine Angelina and the Royal Wedding

32 pp. Viking ISBN 978-0-670-01213-8 $14.99

(4) Illustrated by Helen Craig. Angelina again gets to show off her dancing skills - this time at a royal wedding with her friend Princess Sophie. When Angelina's little brother Henry, "the best hide-and-seeker," rescues the two mousegirls from being stuck in a tower, all ends happily. Although the plot is thin, the good spirits and elegantly detailed illustrations will be welcomed by Angelina's fans. AK

Hole, Stian Garmann's Street

48 pp. Eerdmans ISBN 978-0-8028-5357-8 $16.99

(4) Timid loner Garmann (Garmann's Summer) accidentally sets fire to a neighbor's yard after a bully dares him to light a match. The incident leads to a friendship with the neighbor, a retired mailman whom the other kids fear. The photo-collage-like illustrations aren't particularly childfriendly; they incorporate odd details - black birds, dried plants, Princess Diana, Elvis - that add a creepy undertone to the tale, DE

Holmes, Mary Tavener, and John Harris A Giraffe Goes to Paris

32 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5595-0 $17.99

(3) Illustrated by Jon Cannell. This fictionalized story is told from the perspective of real-life Sudanese attendant Atir, who accompanied elegant giraffe Belle from Egypt to the court of French King Charles X in the 1820s. Offbeat illustrations in watercolor and ink incorporate French motifs and photos of artifacts from the early nineteenth century. Bib., glos. MG

Holub, Joan Twinkle, Star of the Week

32 pp. Whitman ISBN 978-0-8075-8131-5 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Paul Nicholls. Twinkle, a little star, plans to share her favorite song, but then another classmate sings it. In the nick of time, Twinkle becomes a wishing star; now she has something to share when she's star of the week. The story's two topics, astronomy and classroom dynamics, don't completely coalesce. The book features lively (though somewhat generic) digital illustrations of five- and sixpointed star-children. SN

Hopkinson, Deborah The Humblebee Hunter: Inspired by the Life & Experiments of Charles Darwin and His Children

32 pp. Hyperion ISBN 978-1-4231-1356-0 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Jen Corace. Hopkinson follows the family life of Charles Darwin from the perspective of his daughter, Etty, who loves the tales of his travels and discoveries. With her siblings, she eagerly takes part in his latest experiment: observing bumblebees and their feeding habits in the yard. The story, which ends rather abruptly, is illustrated with whimsical folk-art-like scenes. PIH

Horowitz, Dave Buy My Hats!

32 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-25275-4 $16.99

(3) Frank and Carl - a bear and a fish, respectively - try to sell plain brown hats while animal street vendors around them successfully hawk flimflam such as "Remote Control Robot Cell Phones." Readers will root for sad-sack Frank and slightly-more-optimistic Carl in this witty riff on fickle consumerism. The gag-filled art, which was created on newsprint and features dialogue balloons, has a Sundaycomics vibe. NB

Horrocks, Anita Silas' Seven Grandparents

32 pp. Orca ISBN 978-1-55143-561-9 $19.95

(3) Illustrated by Helen Flook. SUas has seven racially diverse grandparents (including step-grandparents). This means lots of love, but also the occasional overwhelmed feeling, especially when it's time to choose whom to stay with when his parents are away. Silas's conflict is wholly relatable, and readers will enjoy, vicariously, all the doting, shown in carefree acrylic-ink illustrations. NB

Howland, Naomi Princess Says Goodnight

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-145525-4 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-145526-1 $17.89

(3) Illustrated by David Small. A girl fantasizes that her bedtime wind-down is princess-esque: "Will she hold a candelabra / while climbing up the stairs / and have a frothy glass of milk / with chocolate cream éclairs?" The princess fantasy (complete with commoner parents bemusedly looking on) is familiar, but the rhymes are nicely lilting, and Small indulges the girl's imagination with relish. NB

Hudson, Cheryl Willis My Friend Maya Loves to Dance

32 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-8328-1 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. An offstage (until the last page) narrator tells readers about her friend Maya, a young baUet dancer. The text in rhyme describes how "music moves Maya," whether it's classical, jazz, gospel, or reggae. Soft illustrations capture the joy of dance and finally display our narrator, who is in a wheelchair but experiences her own satisfaction - through her drawing. AK

Hueston, M. P. The All-American Jump and Jive Jig

32 pp. Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-5143-1 $14.95

(4) Illustrated by Amanda Haley. "All across the country, there are dances chUdren do. / Different kinds in different towns, and you can learn them, too!" Peppy rhymes introduce readers to the Brooklyn Boogie, the Miami Mambo, and other dances (instructions provided). The text cumulatively is wearying, but the premise itself is diverting, as are the illustrations of the moving-and-grooving kids, NB

Huget, Jennifer LaRue How to Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps

40 pp. Random /Schwartz & Wade

ISBN 978-0-375-84410-2 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Edward Koren. A girl gives hilariously bad advice on cleaning one's bedroom: e.g., "Always wait until your mother hollers, 'GET UP THERE AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM- NOW!' using all three of your names." Huget is uncommonly attuned to a kid's sensibility, and New Yorker cartoonist Koren's inimitable style - shaggy contour lines; beak-nosed, somewhat dowdy-looking characters - seems tailor-made for this mess-filled comic gem. NB

Huneck, Stephen Sally's Great Balloon Adventure

32 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-8331-1 $16.95

(4) Lured by some fried chicken, black Lab Sally hops aboard a hot-air balloon, which of course takes off. The human community's ultimately successful effort to rescue her doesn't engender much suspense, but it's ample excuse for the late Huneck's accompUshed woodcuts, whose method of creation he explains in an artist's note, NB

Hurd, Thacher The Weaver

32 pp. Farrar ISBN 978-0-374-38254-4 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Elisa Kleven. All day, the weaver watches Earth from above, weaving what she sees into a wondrous coat full of memories; the coat "drifts down" from the nighttime sky, bringing protection to the sleeping people below. Hurd's abstract text is lyrical and dreamy. Kleven's vivid, exuberant paintings draw readers in to search for tiny images from Earth repeated in the fabric, MFS

Hyde, Heidi Smith Feivel's Flying Horses

32 pp. Kar-Ben LE ISBN 978-0-7613-3957-1 $17.95

PE ISBN 978-0-7613-3959-5 $7.95

(4) Illustrated by Johanna van der Sterre. When Feivel the woodcarver immigrates to America, he finds a job fashioning wooden carousel horses. To assuage his anguish over leaving his family behind, he imbues each creature with characteristics of one of his loved ones. Watercolor and penand-ink illustrations complement a text that presents more a picture of the past than the development of a character or story. ALC

Inches, Alison I Can Save the Ocean!: The Little Green Monster Cleans Up the Beach

24 pp. Little Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-9514-2 $6.99

(5) Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli. Little Green Books series. Max, a friendly green monster with purple-andwhite striped horns, loves the ocean but doesn't like cleaning up after himself. After a "trash makes the ocean look ugly" epiphany, he reforms and helps his friends do so too. The cartoony illustrations of Max are mildly amusing, but the story is bland and the eco-friendly message is ham-fistedly delivered. Glos. MJS

Isol Petit, the Monster

40 pp. Groundwood ISBN 978-0-88899-947-4 $16.95

(3) Translated by Elisa Amado. Petit loves to play with his dog, but he also pulls girls' hair. He takes good care of his toys but is bad at sharing them. Petit's mother asks, "How can such a good boy sometimes do such bad things?" There is no tidy answer to Petit's puzzling problem, but readers wiU connect with the famiUar dichotomy. Line drawings washed in terracotta tones add energy and humor, CHS

* Iwamura, Kazuo Hooray for Summer!

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2285-6 $16.95

(2) In this old-fashioned picture book, three squirrel children take shelter from a thunderstorm in a cave occupied by two mice; soon a bunny joins them. Iwamura's delicate paintings use fine black lines for outlining each of the many real, recognizable plants, with most of the pages made up of sky to give the perspective of small creatures in a big world. Review 7/10. SDL

Jackson, Kathryn Pantaloon 32 pp. Golden isbn 978-0-375-85624-2 $17.99 le isbn 978-0-375-95624-9 $20.99

(3) Illustrated by Steven Salerno. New ed. (1951, Random). Sugar-mad biped poodle Pantaloon is rebuffed by a baker hiring help. After the man injures himself tripping over Pantaloon's bike, the poodle proves his worth. This newly illustrated edition is old-fashioned in the best sense, with the rip-roaring story intently focused on one purpose: to entertain. Linked to no particular era, Salerno's jam-packed illustrations are thoroughly invigorating. NB

Jackson, Shelley Mimi's Dada Catifesto 48 pp. Clarion isbn 978-0-547-12681-4 $17.00

(3) Mimi, a stray cat, intends to make her home with Mr. Dada, an artist who believes "Art ... is anything!" But he isn't convinced that Mimi is the right pet for him ("Do I look like the kind of man to coo 'Kitty, Kitty'?") until she demonstrates her Dadaist artistry by balancing a fish on her head. Mixed-media illustrations are fittingly random and whimsical. Reading list, websites. PMC

Jalali, Reza Moon Watchers: Shirin's Ramadan Miracle 32 pp. Tilbury isbn 978-0-88448-321-2 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. Squabbling siblings AH and Shirin come to an accord during the course of the month-long Muslim holiday. Though the story's overly instructive tone can be irritating, libraries wanting to widen their picture book holdings about Muslim holidays may welcome this title. The illustrations show a multigenerational American family's celebration of this important festival. MLB

Janisch, Heinz The Fantastic Adventures of Baron Munchausen 32 pp. Enchanted Lion isbn 978-1-59270-091-2 $17.95

(3) Translated by Belinda Cooper. Illustrated by Aljoscha Blau. These eleven first-person retellings of tall tales by the legendary eighteenth-century German adventurer are efficient, ebullient, and satisfyingly preposterous (Munchausen rides a seahorse and a cannonball, slingshots himself to a beach, performs music inside a whale's belly, etc.). Blau's surrealistic paintings, several of which recall the work of Salvador Dalí, are strikingly detailed. NB

Janni, Rebecca Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse 32 pp. Dutton isbn 978-0-525-42164-1 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Birthday girl and self-described cowgirl Nellie Sue "needs" a horse; instead, her parents give her a pink bicycle ("I wasn't real keen on ridin' a horse with wheels where hooves ought to be"). The book's humor comes from the contrast between Nellie Sue's cowpoke imaginings and her reality, exhibited in the energetic illustrations of her suburban home and family. NB

Javaherbin, Mina Goal! 40 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-4571-7 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by A. G. Ford. In a South African alley, a group of friends try to protect one boy's new "federationsize" soccer ball from neighborhood bullies. The realistic oil paintings are richly detailed, conveying universal feelings of fear, friendship, and team spirit. Readers will empathize with these children although they Hve a very different life. MG

Javernick, Ellen What If Everybody Did That? 32 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5686-5 $12.99

(3) Illustrated by Colleen M. Madden. New ed. (1990, Children's). In each of thirteen spreads, a boy describes his ostensibly benign behavior ("On the bus, I just stood up to see the fire truck"), which is reality-checked by an adult on the scene ("What If everybody did that?"). Madden's new iUustrations effectively provide the faux-tragicomic visuals (e.g., the school bus tilts to one side) in this eye-opening case for personal responsibUity. NB

Jeffers, Oliver The Heart and the Bottle 32 pp. Philomel isbn 978-0-399-25452-9 $17.99

(4) In this overly allegorical story, a girl and the unidentified man (father? grandfather?) she lives with share a love of astronomy, oceanography, and life science. When the man (presumably) dies, the girl puts her heart in a jar for safekeeping and abandons her studies. Finally, she meets "someone smaller and still curious" with the power to release her heart. Jeffers's fanciful mixed-media illustrations provide a lift to the heavy text. MG

Jennings, Sharon C'mere, Boy! 32 pp. Kids Can isbn 978-1-55453-440-1 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Ashley Spires. Even though his mom says they're lots of work, Dog wants a boy. As he searches for the perfect one, he ends up in the pound, where the perfect boy finds him. Retro 1950s-style iUustrations in ink, watercolor, and digital coUage add humor to this clever twist on the famUiar boy-wants-dog tale, but the role reversal leads to some plot inconsistencies. RRW

Jewell, Nancy Alligator Wedding 32 pp. Holt isbn 978-0-8050-6819-1 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by J. Rutland. "Up and down the bayou / you could hear the sound / of those rowdy reptiles / pounding the ground." Recalling "Froggy Went ACourtin'," this toe-tapper takes readers to an aUigator wedding, complete with cobweb bridal veU and crawfish bouquet. The plot's on the thin side, but the bayou-flavored story and iUustrations are packed with humorous details. NB

John and Wendy Periwinkle Smith and the Faraway Star 32 pp. Price Stern ISBN 978-0-8431-9940-6 $9.99

(4) One night tutu-and-hightops-wearing Periwinkle notices a lonely-looking star through her telescope. After various efforts to contact it fall, she spies her flashlight on the floor and gets an idea. The manga-like art is stylized to a degree that noseless Periwinkle appears somewhat vacant and the story's resolution is a letdown, but the message about perseverance and kindness goes down easily. NB

Johnson, D. B. Palazzo Inverso 32 pp. Houghton isbn 978-0-547-23999-6 $17.00

(4) In this riff on Escher 's Relativity, a master builder's apprentice rotates the master's drawing; the next day confused workers are walking on ceilings and walls. Many of Johnson's busy sepia Ulustrations are purposefuUy confusing, meant to be viewed right side up and upside down, as is the book itself. Johnson has fun with optical tricks; one large plot hole is unfortunate. LR

Johnson, Dinah Black Magic 32 pp. Holt/ Ottaviano isbn 978-0-8050-7833-6 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. A young African American girl celebrates being black with a collection of lively definitions drawn mostly from her everyday life: "Black is big / like a star-filled sky / and tiny like the / sparkle in my daddy's eye." The warmth and joy conveyed in her descriptions is echoed in Christie's vibrant illustrations. HMS

Johnson, Mo Noah's Garden: When Someone You Love Is in the Hospital 32 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-4782-7 $15.99

(5) Illustrated by Annabelle Josse. Noah plays in "my garden" waiting for the day when his baby sister can leave the hospital and join him. The watercolor iUustrations include Noah's fantasies, but transitions between real and imagined worlds aren't always obvious. It's also not clear that Noah is playing in the hospital garden and not at home, which is likely to confuse some readers. MVK

Johnson, Neil, and Joel Chin The Falling Raindrop 40 pp. Tricycle isbn 978-1-58246-312-4 $14.99 LE ISBN 978-1-58246-344-5 $17.99

(5) A plummeting raindrop crashes into a fire and is reborn as steam: "He had become light and airy, and, like aU wisps of steam, he began rising." Despite an introductory note about the water cycle, this aUegorical tale is unlikely to teach much science or to hold much chUd appeal. Stark digital iUustrations give the raindrop's emotions center stage. KF

Joosse, Barbara Sleepover at Gramma's House 40 pp. Philomel isbn 978-0-399-25261-7 $17.99

(3) Illustrated by Jan Jutte. A young elephant sleeps over with her beloved Gramma, who's game for aU sorts of fun, from inventing stories to flinging paint. "Gramma silly / siUy millie sUly millie / 'Let's put paper over the doorway so we can run through!'" Exuberant iUustrations show Gramma's distinctive décor and complement the wordplay in the jaunty, occasionally rhyming text. MFS

Katz, Bobbi Nothing but a Dog 32 pp. Dutton isbn 978-0-525-47858-4 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Jane Manning. A girl describes how nothing can derall the yen for a dog - "Not learning to play the trumpet, / Or being vice president of the Tree Climbers Club," etc. The meditation is lovingly particular and particularly loving, and Manning's iUustrations capture both qualities. When the girl's parents give her a dog at book's end, readers wiU celebrate too. NB

Khan, Rukhsana Big Red Lollipop 40 pp. Viking isbn 978-0-670-06287-4 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. When Rubina is invited to a birthday party, her sister Sana wants to go. Their Pakistani mother doesn't understand American party customs and insists that Sana tag along. When Sana receives an invitation of her own, the tables are turned: the girls' baby sister demands to go too. The expressive iUustrations bring this simple sibling rivalry/ immigrant story to life. PR

Kimmel, Eric A., Adapter Joha Makes a Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale 40 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5599-8 $17.99

(2) Illustrated by Omar Rayyan. Kimmel adapts a Yemenite story to the traditional Arabic "Joha" motif concerning a wise fool. Joha finds a wishing stick on his way to Baghdad. Unfortunately, it works by contraries. Kimmel narrates with his usual wit and panache, nicely extended in Rayyan 's watercolor iUustrations, where humorously exaggerated characters are realized in tastefuUy muted colors whUe the action bursts energeticaUy from elegant frames. Review 5/10. JRL

Kimmelman, Leslie The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah 32 pp. Holiday isbn 978-0-8234-1952-4 $16.95

(2) Illustrated by Paul Meisel. Who will help make the Passover matzah? When Sheep, Horse, and Dog prove unreUable, stereotypical Jewish mother Little Red Hen (somewhat grudgingly) takes up the reins. The good-natured text's cadence extends the mother-hen comparison, whUe affectionate ink, watercolor, and pastel iUustrations keep things from going too far over the top. An author's note about Passover and a matzah recipe are appended. Glos. Review 5/10. erg

Kingsbury, Karen Let's Have a Daddy Day 32 pp. Zonderkidz isbn 978-0-310-71215-2 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Well meaning but dull, this rhyming paean to parents playing with their children is narrated by a father. Dad thinks of adventures like going to the lake to "play as army rangers," but any place comes to life when Dad's involved. Colorful and soft mottled illustrations of a father and his chUdren depict an idylUc family day. MG

Klise, Kate Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth 32 pp. Harcourt isbn 978-0-15-206201-9 $17.00

(3) Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. After Mother Rabbit forbids him to go to the circus until he cleans his playroom, Little Rabbit sneaks off and informs the ringmaster of his act involving the "Mysterious Marvel of a Maternal Monstrosity." It's more than just a great setup: what foUows is whoUy satisfying - and surprising. DeUcate acryUc illustrations evidence an unerring eye for the detritus of a chUd's play space. NB

Kooser, Ted Bag in the Wind 48 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-3001-0 $17.99

(4) Illustrated by Barry Root. A plastic bag escapes a landfill to serve one purpose after another on a cyclical, wind-powered journey. It carries aluminum cans, blocks incoming wind under a door, and joins homeless people's belongings. The wordy story itself refrains from moralizing, leaving the recycling-is-important message for the author's note. The bag's yeUow hue stands out in the painterly watercolor and gouache illustrations. SF

Krasnesky, Thad That Cat Can't Stay 32 pp. Flashlight isbn 978-0-9799746-5-6 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by David Parkins. Though Dad complains vehemently every time Mom brings home a stray cat, she convinces him to keep each homeless feline: "His leg is broken. He can't walk. He's easy pickings for a hawk." Five cats later, Dad puts his foot down - and adopts a dog. The roUicking rhyming tale with its comical pen-and-ink and watercolor iUustrations is an enjoyable read-aloud for pet lovers. RRW

Krebs, Laurie We're Roaming in the Rainforest: An Amazon Adventure 40 pp. Barefoot isbn 978-1-84686-331-8 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Anne WUson. Krebs takes children on an adventure through the Amazon rainforest with the help of some native creatures and sprightly rhymes: "'Jump/ chatter monkeys. 'Or swing if you dare. / We'll hang by our tails and then leap through the air.'" Bright, colorful mixedmedia illustrations fill the pages. Information about the Amazon rainforest, native peoples, creatures, and conservation is appended. ACS

Krensky, Stephen Mother's Day Surprise 32 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5633-9 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Kathi Ember. Unlike the other animals, Violet, a snake, doesn't know what to prepare for the perfect Mother's Day gift. After some thought and much practice, she twists herself into a heart shape to show her mother how she feels. The story is bland and has a slow start, but the acrylic illustrations of forest animals are mildly amusing. RRW

Krensky, Stephen Noah's Bark 32 pp. Carolrhoda isbn 978-0-8225-7645-7 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Rogé. Krensky retells the story of Noah's ark as a pourquoi tale to explain why each animal makes its own special sound. The narration includes plenty of animal noises and a hearty dose of humor. The vibrant figures in the illustrations suit the lively text, especially when the critters make the "wrong" sounds (e.g., snakes saying "quack"). MVK

Kroll, Steven The Tyrannosaurus Game 32 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5603-2 $17.99

(3) Illustrated by S. D. Schindler. On a rainy day at school, Jimmy starts a story: during breakfast, a tyrannosaurus crashed through a window of his house. Then Ava adds to the story, as do ten other chUdren. By tale's end, there's a citywide search for the trouble-making T. Rex. Ink, gouache, and watercolor iUustrations ramp up the excitement, adding detail, humor, and a surprise ending to this coUaborative "and then what happens?" story. CLS

Kumin, Maxine What Color Is Caesar? 48 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-3432-2 $16.99

(5) Illustrated by AUson Friend. New ed. (1978, McGraw Hill). Caesar the dog is "very worried" because he doesn't know if he's white with black spots or black with white spots. His search for self-definition leads to the understanding that it's what's on the inside that matters most. Inescapable racial overtones dominate the text-heavy story, and not even Friend's cheerful gouache iUustrations Ughten the load. AEC

Kuskin, Karla A Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him a Hat 32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper isbn 978-0-06-075330-6 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-06-075331-3 $17.89

(2) Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. New ed. (1976, Houghton). What a joy to read aloud verse that scans, rhymes, and brims with repetition - while continually surprising with twists of sound and sequence. In this rollicking cumulative tale, a boy's mother "bought him a hat" - but she doesn't stop there. Hawkes's new illustrations get into the tail-tale spirit with exuberant views of the wide-eyed boy - an apt setting for Kuskin's comical hijinks. Reviews 12/76, 3/10.

Lach, William My Friends the Flowers 40 pp. Abrams isbn 978-0-8109-8397-7 $16.95

(5) Illustrated by Doug Kennedy. A bee describes the essence of his various flower friends ("Marigold scares all the bugs. He likes to make them run. / Sunflower's big happy face basks in the morning sun"). The couplets aren't strong, and some words (e.g., taint, glow) are misused for the sake of rhyme. The soft-focus cartoon flowers and bugs look like they're from a 1950s Disney movie. PMC

LaChanze Little Diva 32 pp. Feiwel isbn 978-0-312-37010-7 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Brian Pinkney Nena is a "diva-in-training" who wants to act, sing, and dance just like her mother. To bolster their already close relationship, the two spend a day together, which includes time backstage at Mom's matinee performance. The audience for this cutesy book (written by a Broadway star) is questionable. Pinkney's loosely drawn iUustrations with lots of white space are the book's highlight. AK

Lamstein, Sarah Marwil Big Night for Salamanders 40 pp. Boyds isbn 978-1-932425-98-7 $17.95

(4) Illustrated by Carol Benioff. With warm spring rains coming down, Evan wonders if this evening wiU be the highly anticipated "Big Night," when spotted salamanders come out of hibernation. He and his famüy help the salamanders safely cross the road to find their vernal pool breeding spot. OccasionaUy awkward art won't interfere with readers getting to the book's soUd information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. BTM

Lawler, Janet A Mother's Song 32 pp. Sterling isbn 978-1-4027-6968-9 $14.95

(5) Illustrated by Kathleen Kemly. "Snowflakes land softly / to tickle your face, / as we flop on our backs, / making angels in place." A mother invites her daughter to explore the natural world through al four seasons. Lawler 's singsongy rhyming text, a paean to nature as well as to mother-daughter bonding, is paired with undistinguished pastel illustrations. MVK

Lee, YJ The Little Moon Princess 32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper isbn 978-0-06-154736-2 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-06-154737-9 $17.89

(4) The little moon princess lives alone on a small moon where jewels grow inside flowers. To dispel her fear of the dark, she tosses jewels into space, filling the sky with stars. The sUght story showcases Lee's attractive compositions, which show - in various configurations - the princess, the sparrow who helps her, a multitude of jewels, and the contrasting sky in shades of blue. MFS

Lewis, Rose Orange Peel's Pocket 32 pp. Abrams isbn 978-0-8109-8394-6 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Grace Zong. Classmates ask Orange Peel (a nickname) questions about her birth country, China. To find the answers, she consults Chinese American adults (e.g., the neighborhood taUor, flower-shop woman, and icecream parlor owner). With their help - including objects they secretly slip into her pocket - Orange Peel speaks confidently about China during show-and-tell. The bubbly acryic paintings juxtapose Orange Peel's neighborhood with a rural Chinese landscape. MG

Lichtenheld, Tom Bridget's Beret 40 pp. Holt/Ottaviano isbn 978-0-8050-8775-8 $16.99

(3) After her beret blows away, Bridget develops "artist's block." It's aUeviated when her sister convinces her to paint some lemonade-stand signs, which cumulatively become an outdoor art show. This absorbing story features lots of texture, including dialogue bubbles, tips for artists, and, within the cartoony illustrations, parodies: Bridget's sign for "Swiriy Lemonade" is a riff on van Gogh's Starry Night. NB

A Lionni, Leo Inch by Inch 32 pp. Knopf isbn 978-0-375-85764-5 $16.99

(2) Reissue (1961, Astor). Lionni's mixed-media compositions illustrate the story of a little inchworm who measures the neck of a flamingo, beak of a toucan, etc. Sensing danger from the nightingale, he quietly inches himself out of sight. The lovely colors, sharp definition of cutouts against white space, rhythm of the composition, and simpUcity of the whole make for a handsome book. Review 2/61.

Ljungkvist, Laura Pepi Sings a New Song 40 pp. Simon/Beach Lane isbn 978-1-4169-9138-0 $16.99

(2) Pepi the parrot croons the same version of "Twinkle, Twinkle" to his owner nightly. To find ideas for new lyrics, Pepi visits a bakery, a music studio, a market, and other happily cluttered locales. Digitally rendered iUustrations in eye-popping colors place Pepi all over the page, investigating and naming items. Pepi's nonsensical new ditties might inspire young songwriters to mine their surroundings for material. Review 3/10. CMH

Long, Ethan Bird & Birdie in a Fine Day 48 pp. Tricycle isbn 978-1-58246-321-6 $14.99

(4) Each of three short tales focuses on a minor conflict experienced by two bird friends, one male and one female; even when one annoys the other, the outcome is dewy-eyed camaraderie. The stories couldn't be skimpier, but this allows Long to focus on the friends' exchanges, which he captures with droll and, occasionally, improbably touching cartoony art. NB

Long, Sylvia, Adapter Sylvia Long's Thumbelina 48 pp. Chronicle isbn 978-0-8118-5522-8 $17.99

(4) Long does justice, for the most part, to Andersen's classic with her richly detaUed scenes of Thumbelina's travels. Whimsical perspectives and spreads oriented in different directions aUow for views both above and below ground, and a final gatefold showcases Thumbelina's wedding. The only disappointment is Thumbelina herself, whose unexceptional appearance is ecUpsed by the detaUed settings. LCF

López, Susana The Best Family in the World 32 pp. Kane /Miller isbn 978-1-935279-47-1 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Ulises Wensell. Contrary to her fantasies, orphan Carlota's terrific new parents don't turn out to be pastry chefs, pirates, etc., but they do bring her yummy pastries and pretend to dig for buried treasure. The light-handedness of the storytelling beUes the book's depth, and the domestic scenes of Carlota and her new family are as wondrous as the scenes she imagined. NB

Lord, Cynthia Hot Rod Hamster 40 pp. Scholastic isbn 978-0-545-03530-9 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Derek Anderson. A feisty little hamster is determined to join the big dogs in a hot rod race. With help from his friends (and the reader), Hamster builds the perfect car. A consistent rhyming text poses choices ("Rust car, clean car, itty bitty green car") and asks, "Which would you choose?" Large, colorful acrylic iUustrations enhance the action of this root-for-the-underdog read-aloud. CHS

Loth, Sebastian Remembering Crystal 64 pp. North-South isbn 978-0-7358-2300-6 $14.95

(3) Zelda, a young goose, is grief stricken by the loss of her turtle friend Crystal. She searches high and low for her, crying out "Where are you hiding, Crystal?" Ultimately Zelda finds Crystal - within her heart and her memories. Loth's combination of spare text and rich, warm iUustrations make for an effective exercise in bibUotherapy. SN

Loupy, Christophe Puppy Love: A Litter of Puppy Stories 84 pp. North-South isbn 978-0-7358-2294-8 $17.95

(3) Illustrated by Eve Tharlet. Three previously pubUshed books - Hugs and Kisses; Don't Worry, Wags; and Wiggles - are here compiled. Each showcases the adventures of a different puppy: Hugs searches for affection, Wags is accidentaUy separated from her famüy, and Wiggles gets into mischief on the farm. Soft, appealing watercolors capture the antics of each puppy, along with those of its animal companions. CAL

Lucado, Max The Tallest of Smalls 32 pp. Thomas isbn 978-1-4003-1514-7 $16.99

(5) Illustrated by Maria Monescillo. Published fall 2009. At six o'clock each evening a select few vertically challenged Stiltsville residents are given stilts. When a previously ostracized boy finaly receives his own stilts, he falls - and Jesus suddenly appears to remind him that he is just the right size. Lucado's Seussian-knock-off rhymes are awkward, and the confusing self-esteem-boosting parable ends abruptly. Monescillo's illustrations lend an old-world flavor to the tale. MVK

Luciani, Brigitte The Meeting 32 pp. Lerner LE isbn 978-0-7613-5625-7 $25.26

(5) Translated by Carol Klio Burrell. illustrated by Eve Tharlet. Graphic Universe: Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox series. Badgers Bristle and Grub aren't pleased when Papa, a widower, invites Mrs. Fox and her daughter to share their burrow. (Think The Brady Bunch recast with cutesy woodland animals.) The kids hatch a scheme to demonstrate that "badgers and foxes are not made to live together." The overly purposeful story is accompanied by spirited cartoonpanel illustrations; the translation from French is frequently clunky. TDA

Lum, Kate Princesses Are Not Perfect 32 pp. Bloomsbury isbn 978-1-59990-432-0 $16.99 le isbn 978-1-59990-433-7 $17.89

(3) Illustrated by Sue HeUard. Three princesses are uniquely talented at what each loves to do: baking, buUding, and gardening, respectively. When they decide to swap jobs - because "Princesses are good at everything" - chaos ensues. The young damsels learn that being a princess doesn't mean they must be skilled in all matters. The playful, motion-filled watercolor iUustrations against clean white space are chock-full of silly details. SMG

Luxbacher, Irene Mattoo, Let's Play! 32 pp. Kids Can isbn 978-1-55453-424-1 $16.95

(3) Ruby can't fathom why her cat, Mattoo, won't play with her, but readers will delight in spotting the reason: the girl is as quiet and gentle as an avalanche. Thanks to her big imagination, Ruby learns the advantage of being calm by book's end. The art, a combination of acrylics and collage, is just as feisty as the protagonist. NB

Lyon, George Ella The Pirate of Kindergarten 40 pp. Atheneum/Jackson isbn 978-1-4169-5024-0 $16.99

(2) Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Plainspoken text and sunny mixed-media illustrations present the confusing world of a chUd with double vision. Ginny's doctor outfits her with an eye patch ("for a whUe"): "So Ginny became a Kindergarten Pirate who could . . . read and read and read." Easygoing pictures in cheerful colors simultaneously depict a warm, inviting classroom and the chaos seen through Ginny's eyes. Review 7/10. LA

Machado, Ana Maria Wolf Wanted 40 pp. Groundwood isbn 978-0-88899-880-4 $18.95

(5) Illustrated by Laurent Cardon. Translated by Elisa Amado. When a newspaper posts "Wolf Wanted," appUcations pour in from many familiar wolves, including Little Red's and Peter's. However, none of the appUcants fits the unclear position until the advertisement is revised, calling for "A Real WoU." This leads to a final spread about wolves around the world. The result is an awkward juxtaposition of fact and fiction. Comical illustrations buoy the confusing story. CHS

Macken, Joann Early Waiting Out the Storm 32 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-3378-3 $15.99

(3) Illustrated by Susan Gaber. From the first whispers of the wind calling the raindrops to the stomping thunder and Ughtning, a mother encourages her daughter to appreciate the progression of a rainstorm. Although the chUd voices concerns, her mother's gentle answers reassure her that she and the animals are safe. Soft acryUc iUustrations provide a comfortable setting for this quiet, evocative text. PR

Malaspina, Ann Yasmin' s Hammer 40 pp. Lee isbn 978-1-60060-359-4 $18.95

(3) IUustrated by Doug Chayka. In Bangladesh, young Yasmin and her little sister, Mita, must work hard wielding their hammers, breaking old clay bricks into pieces to make new roads. Yasmin earns enough extra money to buy a book and convinces her parents of the importance of reading and education. Rich-hued oU paintings show the busy city streets of Dhaka and the family's small home. Reading list. Bib., glos. MG

Malnor, Carol L., and Sandy F. Fuller The Blues Go Birding Across America 40 pp. Dawn isbn 978-1-58469-124-2 $16.95 PE isbn 978-1-58469-125-9 $8.95

(4) Illustrated by Louise Schroeder. A bluebird band travels across the U.S. in search of a new song, seeking inspiration from birds in different regions (an albatross in Hawaii, a mallard in Massachusetts, etc.). Page spreads are rather busy (with text, speech bubbles, birding tips, notebook entries, and field guide excerpts), but the volume is a clever intro to birding. Reading list, websites. BLM

Marzollo, Jean Pierre the Penguin 32 pp. Sleeping Bear isbn 978-1-58536-485-5 $15.95

(5) Illustrated by Laura Regan. African penguin Pierre's feathers are falling out, making him a social outcast and leery of swimming in the cold water at the museum where he lives. Aquatic biologist Pam comes up with the solution whUe walking her raincoat-wearing dog: a wetsuit. The story, based on real events, is interesting, but the touch-andgo rhymes are painful and the too-large typeface diminishes the capable paintings. NB

McCarty, Peter Henry in Love 48 pp. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray ISBN 978-0-06-114288-8 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-06-114289-5 $17.89

(3) Shy cat Henry has a crush on rabbit classmate Chloe and doesn't know what to do about it; a blueberry muffin ultimately helps. McCarty shows genuine respect for children's interpersonal relationships. Not a stroke of his pen is superfluous: delicate ink with modest watercolor shading sits on warm cream-colored pages. NB

McGhee, Alison So Many Days 32 pp. Atheneum isbn 978-1-4169-5857-4 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. Empowering statements ("You are braver than you know") and an existential refrain - "Who will you be and where will you go?" - track a child (of indeterminate gender) as he or she, dog in tow, walks through the woods then navigates the wider world. The abstract text, ostensibly parent-to-chUd pearls of wisdom, may bore young readers, but any age can appreciate the delicate digitally manipulated linocuts. NB

McGowan, Michael Sunday Is for God 40 pp. Random /Schwartz & Wade ISBN 978-0-375-84188-0 $17.99 LE ISBN 978-0-375-94591-5 $20.99

(3) Illlustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. A young boy describes how Sunday differs from other days of the week: he gets dressed up ("I guess that's what the Lord wants, but I wish He didn't"), Ustens to the pastor "preaching up a storm," and races home for a family dinner. The slice-of-life tale balances reverence and humor. Illustrations coUage church and family scenes with scripture passages and hymns. HMS

McKee, David Elmer and Rose 32 pp. Andersen isbn 978-0-7613-5493-2 $16.95

(4) Patchwork elephant Elmer and his checkerboard cousin Wilbur escort Rose, a young pink elephant, back to her herd. Initially surprised by Rose's remark about a "strange gray" elephant they encounter, Elmer and Wilbur realize, after seeing her aU-pink herd, that "different" isn't the same to everyone. The story lacks action, but the vibrant iUustrations wiil please Elmer's fans. SH

McQuinn, Anna The Sleep Sheep 32 pp. Scholastic/Chicken House isbn 978-0-545-23145-9 $17.99

(3) Illustrated by Hannah Shaw. Sleep-averse Sylvie tries to count sheep, but they take off for the beach on rollerblades and other wheeled vehicles, thwarting her efforts. When the sheep finaUy conk out, Sylvie's counting (which ultimately proves soporific) can really begin. The book's final twist - the sheep have been conspiring to tire out Sylvie - will outsmart most readers, and Shaw's iUustrations manage the merry mayhem beautifully. NB

Meddaugh, Susan Martha Says It with Flowers 32 pp. Houghton isbn 978-0-547-21058-2 $12.99

(5) Teleplay by Peter K. Hirsch. Martha Speaks series. In this television episode featuring talking dog Martha (star of Meddaugh's books), Martha searches for the perfect birthday present to make amends for ruining Grandma LucUle's hat. But Martha doesn't understand why a slab of bacon or a wormy apple might not be appreciated. In this thinly disguised gift-giving lesson, the cartoon iUustrations are less expressive than Meddaugh's original work. MVK

Meyers, Susan Bear in the Air 32 pp. Abrams isbn 978-0-8109-8398-4 $15.95

(3) Illustrated by Amy Bates. A haphazard chain of events takes a beloved teddy bear from stroUer to beach to ocean and so forth, then back into the arms of its young owner. Gorgeous textured watercolor and pencU spreads show portraits of each new "finder" opposite that character's encounter with the bear. The rhythmic, rhyming text keeps the story sailing along to a satisfying and snuggly ending. SRA

Michelson, Richard Busing Brewster 32 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-83334-2 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-375-93334-9 $19.99

(4) Illustrated by R. G. Roth. Brewster, who is African American, shares his experience starting first grade at a white school. The book's shortcomings (e.g., the story's setting - 1970s, during forced busing - isn't initially clear) are secondary to its virtues, which include a subplot about how children develop racist attitudes and dashing illustrations reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats's work. NB

Middleton, Charlotte Nibbles: A Green Tale 32 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5791-6 $17.99

(4) "Every guinea pig in DandevUle loved dandeUon leaves"; hence the eventual dandeUon shortage. Young Nibbles, however, finds one last dandeUon, reads up on the subject, and soon DandevUle has lots of weeds again - and Nibbles becomes a dandeUon gardener. Mixed-media iUustrations of sturdy-looking guinea pigs are inviting, despite the somewhat nonsensical story. JMB

Milgrim, David How You Got So Smart 32 pp. Putnam isbn 978-0-399-25260-0 $16.99

(3) Upbeat cartoon illustrations feature a boy as he grows from infancy to chUdhood absorbing experiences, learning from others, enjoying freedom to make his own mistakes, and expanding his world. The Ughthearted rhyming text is short and addressed directly to the boy, but it speaks to all children. MG

Miller, Edward Fireboy to the Rescue! 32 pp. Holiday isbn 978-0-8234-2222-7 $16.95

(5) More a PSA than a storybook, this fire safety guide gets its message across via Fireboy, a superhero "to defend you from all things that could burn." Older picture-book readers will be familiar with much of the information, but the younger crowd will find new facts here. Brightly colored, simple illustrations look amateurish. DE

Modarressi, Mitra Taking Care of Mama 32 pp. Putnam isbn 978-0-399-25216-7 $16.99

(3) When Mama gets sick, what's a raccoon family to do? Why, take care of her, of course, and deal with the baby, the meals, and the house. The comfortable rhyme scheme, complemented by warm and amusing watercolor illustrations, recounts the family's struggle in Mama's absence. The denouement is a frantic rush to clean up at day's end. PR

Morrison, Toni, and Slade Morrison Little Cloud and Lady Wind 32 pp. Simon/Wiseman isbn 978-1-4169-8523-5 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Sean Quails. In this tale inspired by the Aesop fable "The Bundle of Sticks," blue-haired doll-like Little Cloud longs for a life on earth - until Lady Wind takes her on a tour of the sky and shows her her true worth. The heavy-handedness of the aUegorical story is somewhat mitigated by QuaUs's lovely and unpretentious blue-and-purple-dominant iUustrations. NB

Mortimer, Anne Bunny's Easter Egg 32 pp. HarperCollins/Tegen isbn 978-0-06-136664-2 $12.99

(4) Easter morning finds Bunny too tired to hide her last plain egg, so she nestles into her favorite basket with it. The egg cracks, sending Bunny on a hunt for a more comfortable sleeping spot. Predictably, the search circles back to her basket and a newly hatched duckling. Greeting-card pretty, pastel-hued illustrations accompany the sweet springtime tale. CLS

Moss, Peggy One of Us 32 pp. Tilbury isbn 978-0-88448-322-9 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Penny Weber. New student Roberta is bounced from social group to social group whenever it's discovered that one of her traits (her hairstyle, her love of playgrounds) diverges from the clique's. Readers will register Moss's sober critique of conformity as they cheer Roberta's self-awareness. Weber's art isn't polished, but she has a knack for capturing Roberta's reactions. NB

Muldrow, Diane We Planted a Tree 32 pp. Golden isbn 978-0-375-86432-2 $17.99 LE ISBN 978-0-375-96432-9 $20.99

(3) Illustrated by Bob Staake. Each of two famiUes - one in a developed, urban setting and the other in a developing, agrarian region - cultivates a tree whose rewards include better air quaUty and healthier soil. The global ramifications of a simple seed will be news to many young readers, who will enjoy tracking the growth of both the trees and the featured families, whose members age before readers' eyes in the crisp illustrations. NB

Na, II Sung The Thingamabob 24 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-86106-2 $15.99 LE ISBN 978-0-375-96106-9 $18.99

(4) "One day, he found the thingamabob," begins this story, in which an elephant is mystified by a red umbreUa - until it rains, and he discovers and shares the thingamabob's true purpose with his animal friends. The story feels sUght, but its mixed-media illustrations are complex and whimsical, complementing the pointedly spare text. NB

Nelson, S. D. Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story 48 pp. Abrams isbn 978-0-8109-8399-1 $19.95

(3) Lakota Black Elk fought in the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn at twelve years old, was shot at Wounded Knee, and performed in Buffalo Bill's WUd West Show. Using archival material, Sioux author-artist Nelson offers a firstperson account of Black Elk's life. Captioned black-andwhite photographs and extensive notes provide historical context and critique the exploitation of Native American tribes. Timeline. Bib., ind. AEC

Nethery, Mary The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of How a Plain White Cat Became a Star 32 pp. Clarion isbn 978-0-618-97769-7 $17.00

(3) Illustrated by John Manders. Having helped composer Giuseppe Verdi overcome writer's block, Nini, an ordinary white cat living in a Venetian café, attracts attention from Italian royalty, a Russian czar, and the emperor of Ethiopia. The highly inventive and entertaining story, accompanied by vibrant gouache and colored-pencil illustrations, is based on historical events; an author's note teUs more about the players. RRW

Newman, Jeff The Boys 40 pp. Simon isbn 978-1-4169-5012-7 $15.99

(3) Too shy to join a basebaU game, a boy slumps on a park bench. There he meets four old men who, after a week, convince him to act. Wordless but for day-of-the-week banners, the white-space-heavy scenes feature audacious color combinations that work - especially with the old-man attire, which, hilariously, the boy adopts. NB

Newton, Jill Crash Bang Donkey! 32 pp. Whitman isbn 978-0-8075-1330-9 $16.99

(4) When Donkey plays his musical instruments with the restraint of Jimi Hendrix, sleep-deprived Farmer Gruff fumes - until he discovers that the racket scares off some troublesome crows. The story's message ("There's a time to be quiet and a time to be loud") is somewhat bland, but the illustrations, especiaUy of obUvious Donkey, are droll. NB

Niemann, Christoph Subway 40 pp. Greenwillow ISBN 978-0-06-157779-6 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-06-157780-2 $17.89

(3) A dad and two kids, stylized pictographs all, enjoy a day on the trains of New York City. While the rhyming text is dispensable, the gouache paintings on black backgrounds capture the mystery of the dark tunnels, the excitement of a ride, and the intriguingly complex labyrinth of the subway system, each line correctly color-coded. RS

Numeroff, Laura, and Nate Evans The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza 32 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-8412-7 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. When her friends need to do book reports, avid reader Anna introduces them to the library, where they find books about their hobbies. Anna's friends, in turn, help her to channel her love of reading to overcome her shyness. The story has a generic, albeit friendly, books-are-for-everyone message, but Munsinger 's animal characters in candy-hued watercolors wiU draw in readers. SRA

Nutt, Robert Amy's Light 48 pp. Dawn ISBN 978-1-58469-128-0 $16.95 PE ISBN 978-1-58469-129-7 $8.95

(5) "In bed where she lay, / Amy wished it were day. / For the shadows on the wall / were at least twenty feet tall." Amy overcomes her fear of the dark thanks to fireflies she sees outside her window. With its hit-you-over-the-head message, the rhyming narrative strives to express wonder. The stage-lit photorealistic illustrations are as unsubtle as the text. KF

O'Connor, Jane Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire! 32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper isbn 978-0-06-189643-9 $12.99

(4) Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. When Nancy's class creates a "poet-tree" to which each student must contribute a paper leaf featuring an original poem, she has trouble getting started. The plot is secondary to the book's larger purpose: defining poetry for young readers (nursery rhymes and song lyrics count) and introducing them to concepts like writer's block and inspiration. Glasser 's cotton-candylike touch graces every scene. NB

Olander, Johan A Field Guide to Aliens: Intergalactic Worrywarts, Bubblonauts, Sliver-Slurpers, and Other Extraterrestrials 64 pp. Cavendish isbn 978-0-7614-5594-3 $15.99

(4) This guide details the existence of a large number of aUen life forms that have visited Earth. Each two-page section describes one aUen species. Information about the atiens' diets, distinguishing features, and interactions with humans is included; some of the humorous references may be too dated for young readers. Sketchlike Ulustrations and a few jokey photographs accompany the descriptions. AMT

Olivia Meets Olivia 24 pp. Simon Spotlight isbn 978-1-4169-9542-5 $6.99

(4) Adapted by Ellie O'Ryan. Illustrated by Art Mawhinney and Shane L. Johnson. When a new classmate shares Olivia's first name, the plucky pig decides to change hers to Pam. Based on an episode of the TV show, the story is fresh, but this version of Ian Falconer's picture book pig doesn't have the original's originality. Despite the leave-nowhite-space-behind imperative, the illustrations do retain some of Falconer's flair. NB

O'Malley, Kevin Animal Crackers Fly the Coop 40 pp. Walker ISBN 978-0-8027-9837-4 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-8027-9838-1$17.89

(2) Following her dream to be a "comedi-hen," Hen meets Dog, Cat, and Cow along the way. In this compone parody of "The Bremen Town Musicians," the quartet scares thieves away from an old farmhouse and opens a comedy club. Pun foUows pun, and jokes appear within the story, in conversational baUoons, and on the endpapers. Visual humor complements the verbal slapstick. Review 3/10. BC

Papish, Ram The Little Seal: An Alaska Adventure 48 pp. Alaska/Snowy Owl isbn 978-1-60223-068-2 $15.95

(5) Published fall 2009. After six hundred nights away from land, seal SAM (sub adult male) returns to the rookery where he was born. Curious about the unfamitiar place, he investigates the island and its inhabitants. The text's awkward rhymes and stumbling meter ("Moving fast, he tries to grab her, / his mouth stretched wide and full of slabber") are distractingly bad. Papish's iUustrations are effective in their realism. ST

Parish, Herman Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine 32 pp. Greenwillow ISBN 978-0-06-154458-3 $16.99 LE ISBN 978-0-06-154459-0 $17.89

(4) Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Published fall 2009. With the same literal view as the grown-up character, young Amelia finds a lot of things baffling. In this Valentine's Day story, Ametia wonders about "wearing your heart on your sleeve" and worries about being shot by Cupid's arrow. The humor falls flat most of the time, but the genial pink-heavy illustrations enhance the love fest. SMG

Parker, Marjorie Blain A Paddling of Ducks: Animals in Groups from A to Z 32 pp. Kids Can isbn 978-1-55337-682-8 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Joseph Kelly Groups of animals identified by collective nouns - "an army of Ants," "a sloth of Bears," "a bask of Crocodiles" - enjoy the pleasures of a seaside town in this entertaining alphabet book. Clever art reveals the text's witticisms; "a bloat of Hippos," for example, exercises on stationary bicycles. The close-up perspective puts readers in the middle of the frequently raucous action. MFS

Patricelli, Leslie The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Monster Party 40 pp. Candlewick isbn 978-0-7636-3243-4 $14.99

(3) Petra's three puppy siblings come to the rescue when her fear of monsters disturbs her sleep. A purple-horned, yeUow-striped monster does appear, but it's as afraid of the puppies as they are of it - and it likes cookies! A middle-of-the-night dance party ensues . . . until Mama and Papa show up. Patricelli's lively illustrations and exuberant text give the rambunctious pups' second book plenty of pep. KF

Patter, Bruce Van Tucker Took It! 32 pp. Boyds isbn 978-1-59078-698-7 $16.95

(4) Hungry goat Tucker annoys the other farm animals by making off with the horse's straw hat, the pigs' watermelon, and so on. As it turns out, Tucker has been scavenging in order to create a scarecrow, which wins him the farmer's kudos (and, better still, cooking). The clever plot isn't well served by the fuzzy digital art featuring ersatz brush strokes. NB

Paul, Alison Sunday Love 32 pp. Houghton isbn 978-0-618-99184-6 $16.00

(2) Sound effects and red, black, and white iUustrations tell this story of Bruno the Burglar's Valentine's Day escape from the Big House. Much of the appeal Ues in the cinematic, Charlie Chaplinesque action, complete with slapstick escapades, buffoonish gendarmes, and a reunion with a true love - a sundae love, that is. Review 3/10. MVP

Peck, Jan Way Out West on My Little Pony 32 pp. Pelican isbn 978-1-58980-697-9 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Herb Leonhard. A curious girl in a pink cowboy hat imagines riding west on her pony and encountering animal life along the way - a buffalo, prairie dog, armadillo, roadrunner, and the like - before trotting back home to Grandpa. The repetitive, singsong text never finds its rhythm, but the art creates a sense of mood and place. SH

Peete, Holly Robinson, and Ryan Elizabeth Peete My Brother Charlie 40 pp. Scholastic isbn 978-0-545-09466-5 $16.99

(4) With Denene Millner. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Callie describes similarities and differences between herself and her twin brother, Charlie, who has autism. While the text strains for a child's voice (even though it was cowritten by then-twelve-year-old Ryan Elizabeth), the story does eloquently highUght the love between the siblings. Attractive art with visible brush strokes and large-eyed characters accompanies the tale, based on actress Peete's real farrtily. BTM

Pelley, Kathleen T. Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer 32 pp. Farrar isbn 978-0-374-34725-3 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by S. D. Schindler. Magnus Maximus loves to measure things: "wetness and dryness, nearness and farnese," etc. Unfortunately, Magnus "forgot about everything else." A pair of broken glasses, a little boy, and a day at the beach teach him to balance work and life's pleasures. Crisp illustrations, which place the action in what looks like a nineteenth-century British setting, are a perfect match for the restrained tale. CHS

Perrow, Angeli Many Hands: A Penobscot Indian Story 32 pp. Down East isbn 978-1-89272-782-7 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Heather Austin. When Lily crafts a basket decorated with a water lily, she expects high praise from her relatives. Instead, each of them admires the basket briefly but says they must return to work since, "many hands make the basket." In this message-y story, Penobscot basketry is shown to be a community effort. The illustrations are occasionally awkward. MLB

Peters, Bernadette Stella Is a Star! 40 pp. Blue Apple isbn 978-1-60905-008-5 $17.99

(4) Illustrated by Liz Murphy. Hoping to drum up some friends, dog Stella tells everyone in her porcine dance class that she's a pig princess. This be-true-to-yourself picture book is fairly indistinguishable from an Angelina Ballerinatype offering. However, the expressive pink- and purpleheavy mixed-media iUustrations add some flair. NB

Peters, Lisa Westberg Frankie Works the Night Shift 32 pp. Greenwillow isbn 978-0-06-009095-1 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Jennifer Taylor. In this counting book, cat Frankie ostensibly works at a hardware store at night ("He empties one wastebasket . . . He cleans two counters," and so on), but the quasi-photoreaUstic digital art teUs the truth (he upends the trash can, knocks things off the counters, etc.). The book passes quite pleasantly but would have been better served by a sharper ending. NB

Pilegard, Virginia Walton The Emperor's Army: A Mathematical Adventure 32 pp. Pelican isbn 978-1-58980-690-0 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Adrian Tans. Hiding out during a purge of academics and artists in ancient China, a scholar's young son uses volume and estimation to determine the number of terracotta warriors being buUt in a nearby prison camp. Pilegard's details about the clay soldiers created to defend China's first emperor in the afterlife are more engaging than the ancillary math content. Tans's illustrations aptly convey the time period. TDA

Pinfold, Levi The Django 40 pp. Candlewick/Templar isbn 978-0-7636-4788-9 $16.99

(4) The Django, a mischievous creature, causes all sorts of trouble, destroying Pa's banjo, for starters. Of course, it's always Jean who gets the blame. Tired of the Django 's antics, Jean orders it to leave - but soon misses it. The story's connection to jazz musician Django Reinhardt, explained in the author's note, is tenuous at best. Watercolor illustrations, the book's highUght, are full of emotion and character. ACS

Pinkwater, Daniel Beautiful Yetta: The Yiddish Chicken 32 pp. Feiwel isbn 978-0-312-55824-6 $16.99

(2) Illustrated by Jill Pinkwater. Beautiful blue-eyed chicken Yetta, being trucked to slaughter, escapes her fate and lands in Brooklyn. After saving a wild parrot, she's adopted by its Spanish-speaking green-feathered colony. Jill Pinkwater 's hues squawk off the pages with riotous energy. In addition to straightforward lines of text, the narrative plays out with ballooned dialogue in English and Yiddish (later, English and Spanish), with phonetic pronunciations. Review 7/10. BH

Piven, Hanoch My Best Friend Is as Sharp as a Pencil: And Other Funny Classroom Portraits 40 pp. Random /Schwartz & Wade ISBN 978-0-375-85338-8 $17.99 LE ISBN 978-0-375-95629-4 $20.99

(3) A girl answers her grandmother's barrage of questions about school by skipping the "same old boring answers" and creating amusing pictures of her teachers and classmates instead. Everyday objects characteristic of each person get incorporated into the exuberant coUage portraits. Colorful and chock-fuU of similes, this title will likely launch engaging classroom language and art activities. CLS

Plourde, Lynn Field Trip Day 32 pp. Dutton ISBN 978-0-525-47994-9 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Thor Wickstrom. In this sixth story about Mrs. Shepherd's class, Juan Dore-Nomad, true to his goofy name, wanders off at every turn during a field trip to an organic farm. But his disappearances demonstrate how curiosity can aid learning, and they also provide opportunities for his classmates to solve math word problems. Plourde's humorous but dizzying dialogue is well matched by Wickstrom's energetic, amusing iUustrations. SN

Portnoy, Mindy Avrà A Tale of Two Seders 32 pp. Kar-Ben ISBN 978-0-8225-9907-4 $17.95 PE ISBN 978-0-8225-9931-9 $7.95

(3) Illustrated by Valeria Cis. A young girl has gone to six different Passover seders in the three years since her parents' divorce. At the sixth seder, attended by both her mom and dad, the girl's mother likens famiUes to different varieties of charoset, a traditional dish: "Some have more ingrethents . . . But each one is tasty in its own way." The realistic story is accompanied by pattern-filled illustrations. Charoset recipes are included. Glos. AK

Potter, Noel Gyro Plan B 32 pp. ABDO/Magic Wagon LE ISBN 978-1-60270-736-8 $27.07

Potter, Noel Gyro The Spoiled Sport 32 pp. ABDO/Magic Wagon LE ISBN 978-1-60270-737-5 $27.07

Potter, Noel Gyro Stranger Danger 32 pp. ABDO/Magic Wagon LE ISBN 978-1-60270-738-2 $27.07

Potter, Noel Gyro Writing a Wrong 32 pp. ABDO/Magic Wagon LE ISBN 978-1-60270-739-9 $27.07

(5) Illustrated by Joseph Cannon. Looking Glass Library: The Adventures of MarshaU & Art series. Two priggish brothers trained in karate address good sportsmanship (Spoiled), fine art versus graffiti (Writing), strangers' motives (Danger), and peer pressure when bike riding on dangerous roads (Plan B). While well intentioned, the texts are too purposeful and stilted in tone and the digital illustrations are caricaturish and overly slick-looking. MG

Primavera, Elise Louise the Big Cheese and the La-Di-Da Shoes 40 pp. Simon/Wiseman isbn 978-1-4169-7181-8 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Diane Goode. Louise wants black patent leather "la-di-da" shoes; instead her mother buys her squeaky "brown laced school shoes." ConfUct also arises between Louise and her best friend when Fern comes to school with fancified feet. The lesson is that special-occasion shoes hurt and are not worth losing a friend over. Lively, pink-heavy cartoon iUustrations (with some blatantly adultaimed humor) keep pace with the story. AK

Proimos, James Todd's TV 40 pp. HarperCollins/ Tegen ISBN 978-0-06-170985-2 $15.99

(4) When Todd's parents - who are very busy people - cannot attend a parent-teacher conference, Todd's charismatic TV steps in to help. Soon his TV takes over pancake making, playing catch, and tucking Todd in at night. Comical, uncluttered drawings, touched only by grays and red, provide an entertaining, kid-friendly story with a parentcentered lesson. CHS

Ramírez, Antonio Napi funda un pueblo I Napi Makes a Village 48 pp. Groundwood isbn 978-0-88899-965-8 $18.95

(3) Translated by EUsa Amado. Illustrated by Domi. Napi and her family must leave their village, which is soon to be flooded when the Mexican government builds a dam. Her Mazateca people create a new vUlage by clearing the land set aside for them. Based on her own chUdhood experience, Domi's story speaks to the treatment of indigenous peoples everywhere. Brightly colored folk-art-style paintings illustrate the text. Glos. TW

Raschka, Chris Hip Hop Dog

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-123963-2 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-123964-9 $17.89

(2) IUustrated by Vladimir Radunsky With tight rhymes and endearing braggadocio, this hip-hop dog relates his hardscrabble upbringing. Radunsky's deUberately rougharound-the-edges iUustrations show a shaggy-pelted pup, little red tongue sticking out, clad in white pants with backward basebaU cap pulled low, his torso twisting and body angled in rhythm with his funky rhymes. The freestyle page design often features text spiraUng around our hero. Review 3/10. ERG

Rave, Friederike Outfoxing the Fox

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2295-5 $16.95

(4) A seU-proclaimed clever fox craves chicken fricassee for dinner. But the sniffling, sneezing hens "are not feeling very tasty" - six nights in a row. The disjointed text foUows the frustrated fox who's ultimately outsmarted by the flock of crafty chickens. SiUy scarf-clad hens and other amusing details provide lots to look at in the witty iUustrations. CHS

Ray, Jane The Dollhouse Fairy

32 pp. Candlewick ISBN 978-0-7636-4411-6 $16.99

(3) Every Saturday Rosy and her father make furniture for her dollhouse. When Dad is unexpectedly hospitalized, Rosy worries and turns to her dollhouse to feel better. Surprisingly, an injured fairy is in one of the little beds, and Rosy nurses her to health. Ray's deUcate illustrations, featuring decorative patterns and glowing colors, pull readers into this gentle story about missing a parent, MVK

Reed, Lynn Rowe Basil's Birds

32 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5627-8 $17.99

(3) When janitor BasU falls asleep on the job, a resourceful bird makes her nest on his head. BasU cherishes his new tenant and the three bird babies that foUow. But when the birds fly away, wiU BasU be left with an empty nest? Rowe's chUdUke mixed-media Ulustrations are a fitting accompaniment to this oddball tale of finding family, RLH

Renert, Gerry Nathan Saves Summer

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-76-9 $16.95

PE ISBN 978-1-934960-75-2 $7.95

Renert, Gerry Nathan Saves Summer I Nathan rescata el verano

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-74-5 $16.95

PE ISBN 978-1-934960-75-2 $7.95

(5) IUustrated by Carrie Anne Bradshaw. Hippopotamus Nathan wants to be the pond Ufeguard, and he's devastated when a hyena teUs him he's "just too LARGE" for the job. Though Nathan ultimately proves his worth, not even a happy ending can rescue the dull, meandering story. Bradshaw's cheery iUustrations - full of swimsuit-clad animals - provide some humor. The EngUsh-Spanish bilingual edition includes a vocabulary list. CP

Rex, Michael Furious George Goes Bananas: A Primate Parody

32 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-25433-8 $15.99

(6) This takeoff on Curious George just doesn't work: its conceit that "the man in the funny hat" is out to exploit George (an ape, in this story) hasn't a shred of mooring in the original books. Rex's cartoony iUustrations are so unlike those in the Reys' series, it's highly probable that young (and older) readers won't even make the connection, NB

Reynolds, Aaron Back of the Bus

32 pp. Philomel ISBN 978-0-399-25091-0 $16.99

(3) IUustrated by Floyd Cooper. An African American boy and his mother are on the same bus as Rosa Parks when she refuses to relinquish her seat. The story, told from the boy's perspective, shows that although he doesn't understand everything that's going on, he may have a glimmer of understanding and a dream of the future. Reynolds's poetic narrative and Cooper's warm and expressive oil illustrations sustain the premise, hms

Rickards, Lynne Jacob O'Reilly Wants a Pet

32 pp. Barron's ISBN 978-0-7641-6311-1 $14.99

(4) IUustrated by Lee WUdish. Jacob O'ReUly's parents veto aU his pet suggestions and instead recommend pet sitting. For two weeks he cares for a slew of animals: dogs, hamsters, a zebra, and more. All tuckered out, Jacob eventuaUy discovers the perfect pet: a snail. The rhyming tale isn't particularly logical (the parents object to pets but aUow Jacob to pet-sit at home), but the iUustrations have texture and humor. PR

Riddell, Chris Wendel's Workshop

32 pp. HarperCollins/Tegen ISBN 978-0-06-144930-7 $16.99

(4) Untidy Wendel, quick to toss his less-than-perfect inventions down the garbage chute, creates an overzealous tidying-up robot that tosses Wendel onto the scrapheap. Reusing his castoff junk pUe, Wendel constructs an army of robots to combat the crazy cleaner and learns the value of recycling (through the green message seems tacked on). Engaging and elaborate iUustrations animate a host of kooky robots, RRW

Ritz, Karen Windows with Birds

32 pp. Boyds ISBN 978-1-59078-656-7 $16.95

(2) After moving into an apartment buUding, a cat misses the famüy's former abode. Realistic Ulustrations providing close-up views accompany the cat's narrative and show its owner, a boy, trying unsuccessfuUy to coax his pet out from under the bed. The final pages acknowledge the truth about a new household - that some things are different whUe some are the same, or even better. Review 5/10. JMB

Roberton, Fiona Wanted: The Perfect Pet

40 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-25461-1 $16.99

(3) Henry advertises for a pet dog. Duck wants a friend, so he answers Henry's ad disguised as a dog. Duck isn't a very good dog, but when his identity is revealed, Henry makes a list of duck skills that point to his being the perfect pet after all. Minimally colored line drawings humorously enhance this warm tale of friendship, RRW

Roberts, Victoria The Best Pet Ever

32 pp. Tiger Tales ISBN 978-1-58925-089-5 $15.95

(3) Illustrated by Deborah AUwright. A girl asks her mom If she can have a pet; her mom's response: "We'll see." So whatever the girl sees - rock, glove, candy wrapper, balloon - becomes her pet "for a day or two." The styUsh cartoon iUustrations give the girl's inanimate pets personality in this creative celebration of imagination. The wishfulfillment ending (she gets a kitten) wiU deUght fellow hopeful pet owners, KF

Rockwell, Anne St. Patrick's Day

40 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-050197-6 $14.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-050198-3 $15.89

(4) IUustrated by Lizzy RockweU. On St. Patrick's Day, Evan and his classmates (aU dressed in green, of course) present reports on the history and legends of St. Patrick. When Evan goes home, his Irish American mother bakes soda bread that they share with their neighbors. The pedestrian story and cheerful iUustrations provide a serviceable introduction to Irish American customs, PR

Rodriguez, Béatrice The Chicken Thief

32 pp. Enchanted Lion ISBN 978-1-59270-092-9 $14.95

(4) When three animals see a fox running abduct a chicken, they set out in pursuit. When they finaUy catch up with the pair, the chicken reveals that the fox has become her beloved. The tirelessly detaUed art is up to the task of telling this wordless story, but the denouement seems to celebrate Stockholm syndrome. NB

Root, Phyllis Creak! Said the Bed

32 pp. Candlewick ISBN 978-0-7636-2004-2 $15.99

(3) Ulustrated by Regan Dunnick. "Creak!" says the bed as each of three chUdren pUes into Momma and Poppa's bed during a stormy night. When the famüy dog hops in too, the bed finally breaks. Simple acryUc gouache paintings and wavy black outlines add to a hUarious text that chUdren wiU be able to recite after the first reading. MG

Rosenberg, Liz Nobody

32 pp. Roaring Brook/Porter ISBN 978-1-59643-120-1 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Julie Downing. George's imaginary friend, Nobody, wakes him up one Sunday morning, and they proceed to play messy games and concoct crazy breakfast ideas - which, fortunately, George is not allowed to cook "when Nobody was around." When parents arrive there are no repercussions. Messy but pleasing iUustrations mirror the disarray and the humor of Rosenberg's deUghtful wordplay. SH

Ross, Tony I Want Two Birthdays!

24 pp. Andersen ISBN 978-0-7613-5495-6 $16.95

(3) Little Princess stars again in a book about a popular subject. The greedy royal girl wants to know why her mother has two birthdays and then demands to have two for herseU. At her insistence, the Prime Minister plans a birthday every day, but her wise father the king finds a clever solution. FUled with satirical moments, the watercolor iUustrations add to the madcap comedy. MG

Rostoker-G ruber, Karen Bandit's Surprise

32 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5623-0 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Outraged when his owner brings home a kitten, Bandit the cat runs away. He changes his mind - only to find himself locked out by mistake. After the kitten helps him get back inside, Bandit warms to her enough to provide a satisfying (If predictable) resolution. The illustrations' comic-strip look and Bandit's grumpy reaction are entertaining, though his nicknames for the kitten grow tiresome, MFS

Rumford, James Tiger and Turtle

32 pp. Roaring Brook/Porter ISBN 978-1-59643-416-5 $17.99

(2) Told in a voice that keeps the telling intimate, Rumford's original story describes how an argument over a flower results in an unlikely friendship. Tiger and Turtle are illustrated with only a few broad brushstrokes; intricately patterned backgrounds, inspired by Indian and Pakistani decorations, pair weU with the subjects, the orange-toned pages a vivid accent for the green turtle and yellow tiger. Review 5/10. JMB

Russell, Natalie Brown Rabbit in the City

32 pp. Viking ISBN 978-0-670-01234-3 $16.99

(3) Brown Rabbit experiences the fast pace of city Ufe when he visits Little Rabbit. She excitedly takes him on a tour of the town; shopping features prominently. Finally, an exhausted Brown Rabbit is pushed to the limit at an urban shindig. As she did in Moon Rabbit, RusseU elegantly combines patterns with simple shapes and monochromatic figures in her mixed-media iUustrations. ST

Russo, Marisabina A Very Big Bunny

40 pp. Random /Schwartz & Wade

ISBN 978-0-375-84463-8 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-94463-5 $20.99

(2) AmeUa towers over her feUow bunnies at school and is excluded from their games. Tiny Susannah, who's also shunned, comes up with a plan to outshine the mean-girl bunnies, and AmeUa and Susannah become friends. Russo gets at the heart of the ordinary chUd experience. The gouache paintings show bunny ears effectively expressing a range of emotions. Review 1/10. SDL

Rycroft, Nina, and Stephen Harris Ballroom Bonanza: A Hidden Pictures ABC Book

48 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-8842-2 $16.95

(5) Illustrated by Nina Rycroft. "First, the affluent alpacas / AU arrive, superbly dressed." Alphabetically ordered animal dancers compete in a dance competition, and "All are winners!" The rhyming text is uninspired, and the detaUed Ulustrations are as unfocused and confusing as the story (alphabet book? introduction to types of dances?). A findthe-hidden-instruments feature is mildly diverting but further dUutes the whole, KF

Saltzberg, Barney All Around the Seasons

32 pp. Candlewick ISBN 978-0-7636-3694-4 $11.99

(4) From spring's snow melt through winter's snowfall, the cycle of seasons is celebrated in brief, rhyming text. Both verbal and visual images representing the seasons are familiar and predictable: tree climbing, Halloween candy, a snowman, hot chocolate. The colorful iUustrations have an appeaUngly chUdUke quaUty, but there's nothing new under the seasonal sun in this book, CLS

Sansone, Adele The Little Green Goose

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2292-4 $16.95

(3) Illustrated by Anke Faust. New ed. (1999). Mr. Goose longs to be a daddy. He comes into possession of an egg, out of which hatches a "little green goose" (which looks Uke a baby dinosaur). In this revised and re-iUustrated new edition, vivacious mixed-media iUustrations outlined in black tenderly convey the notion that love and belonging are at the core of aU kinds of families. SMG

Santillan, Suzanne Grandma's Pear Tree

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-82-0 $16.95

Santillan, Suzanne Grandma's Pear Tree I El peral de abuela

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-80-6 $16.95

PE ISBN 978-1-934960-81-3 $7.95

(5) IUustrated by Atitio Pentisco . When Jessie loses his ball in Grandma's pear tree, he asks his famüy for help. He follows each person's advice but loses something else every time. The clunky, repetitive text never becomes an interesting story, but the muted iUustrations of bobble-headed people and wide-eyed farm animals have some appeal. The "bilingual" edition isn't - a few Spanish words are substituted in the EngUsh text. Vocabulary list. CP

Schubert, Ingrid, and Dieter Schubert Elephant Soup

32 pp. Boyds/Lemniscaat ISBN 978-1-59078-807-3 $17.95

(3) A mouse shares his reUable cure for the blues: "Elephant soup!" The fastidious iUustrations accompanying the recipe's steps ("Scrub gently") show a team of mice capturing a bemused-looking elephant who ultimately escapes the pot but nevertheless finds a way to cheer them up. Readers wiU delight in recognizing the tension between the narration's evenness and the illustrations' absurdity, NB

Schubert, Leda Feeding the Sheep

32 pp. Farrar ISBN 978-0-374-32296-0 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Andrea U'Ren. "'What are you doing?' the little girl asked." A young girl watches her mother care for their sheep throughout the year. The brief rhyming text highUghts the stages of yarn production, from sheep shearing to spinning and dyeing wool. The final product: a warm sweater for the girl. The cozy iUustrations capture the loving relationship between mother and daughter, CAL

Shaw, Hannah Erroll

32 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-86105-5 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-96105-2 $18.99

(4) When young Bob discovers a squirrel named Erroll in a package of nuts, he's excited to have a new friend. After some household disasters, Bob is forced to accept that ErroU's place is in the wild. There's some humor in this fishout-of-water tale, but the busy iUustrations occasionally make the action difficult to foUow. DE

Sherman, Pat Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation

32 pp. Eerdmans ISBN 978-0-8028-5319-6 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Benjamin Holmes, a young slave, is determined to learn how to read. His endeavors culminate in reading the Emancipation Proclamation to fellow slaves. Based on a true story, the narrative (with invented dialogue) describes the creative ways Ben acquires reading material and how he hides his abitity when it would prove dangerous. Cooper's warm-hued oil iUustrations are expressive. Reading Ust, websites, HMS

Siddals, Mary McKenna Compost Stew: An Ato Z Recipe for the Earth

32 pp. Tricycle ISBN 978-1-58246-316-2 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Bouncy, rhyming verse suggests compost items in alphabetical order: "Mulch removed from garden beds / Nutshells / Oatmeal / Paper shreds." Though purists wiU balk at the illustration of metal staples on teabags being tossed into the stew, especially when the back matter decrees "not a shred of metal" should be added, the gouache and coUage art is otherwise cheerful and inviting. BTM

Skeers, Linda Tutus Aren't My Style

32 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3212-4 $16.99

(3) IUustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. When tomboy Emma receives a pink baUerina costume from her uncle, her efforts to float, flutter, and twirl land her in a petunia patch, birdbath, etc. The story's "be yourseU" message is common enough in the picture book world, but this tale feels fresh because Emma is so sympathetic: as the iUustrations of her loose-limbed pratfalls show, she's giving it her aU. NB

Smith, Alex T. Home

32 pp. Tiger Tales ISBN 978-1-58925-088-8 $15.95

(3) Friends One, Two, Three, and Four Uve together happUy until each begins to yearn for something new. Unable to find common ground, they divide up their house and set off independently. Before long, the four friends discover that "a house simply wasn't a home" without one another. Dynamic, detaU-rich spreads Ulustrate this heartwarming story, RLH

Smith, Icy Half Spoon of Rice: A Survival Story of the Cambodian Genocide

43 pp. East West ISBN 978-0-9821675-8-8 $19.95

(4) Illustrated by Sopaul Nhem. A nine-year-old Cambodian boy describes being ordered by the Khmer Rouge on a forced march to a countryside concentration camp, where inhumanities surround him. This introduction to the Cambodian genocide wiU mesmerize young readers (at one point, the starving boy puUs off a frog's legs and eats them). The oU paintings, though uneven in quality, have a grim reaUsm. NB

Smith, Linda The Inside Tree

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-028241-7 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-029818-0 $17.89

(2) Illustrated by David Parkins. With a storyteUer's voice, Smith introduces Mr. Potter, who Uves alone. One night he invites his dog inside - and then his tree. He transplants it, eventually cutting a hole in the roof, which leads to other unforeseen consequences. The sumptuously colored pictures balance reaUstic touches with the outlandish comical events, grounding the preposterous story in the real world. Review 3/10. SDL

Solheim, James Born Yesterday: The Diary of a Young Journalist

32 pp. Philomel ISBN 978-0-399-25155-9 $15.99

(4) Ulustrated by Simon James. A baby who aspires to be a writer catalogs impressions of his/her older sister ("Note to myself: Imitate that girl") and of him/herseU ("I do nothing except spit up. I must focus. Focus!"). The winking text and witty loose-lined iUustrations are a hoot, but the humor wUl appeal more to adults than older siblings, KF

Soman, David, and Jacky Davis Ladybug Girl at the Beach

40 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3416-6 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by David Soman. Lulu is excited to swim in the ocean - until she sees how "big and noisy" it is. When her sandcastle paU is swept away, Lulu, a.k.a. Ladybug Girl, takes action. Soman's iUustrations nicely juxtapose the ocean's diffuse shades with Lulu's red-saturated costume, constantly drawing the eye to Lulu. The text hits all of its points in a way that's a Utile too on-the-nose. HRB

Spinelli, Eileen Miss Fox's Class Earns a Field Trip

32 pp. Whitman ISBN 978-0-8075-5169-1 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Anne Kennedy. In their third outing, Miss Fox and her animal students enthusiasticaUy undertake a series of moneymaking projects to earn $135 for a field trip to RoUer Coaster Planet. Despite some setbacks, which are comicaUy portrayed in the lively iUustrations, they reach their goal. Readers can practice adding and subtracting as they foUow the fluctuations in the class's fortune, MFS

Stalder, Päivi Ernest's First Easter

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2241-2 $16.95

(3) Ulustrated by Frauke Weldin. Stalder 's Easter tale follows Ernest the amateur Easter Bunny, who struggles to find the perfect place to hide his eggs. With the help of a new, If unlikely, canine friend, he scores the best hiding spot yet. Ernest's efforts make a memorable Easter for one Utile boy. The soft, rich iUustrations reflect the book's seasonal sentiment. PIH

Stutson, Caroline Cats' Night Out

32 pp. Simon/Wiseman ISBN 978-1-4169-4005-0 $15.99

(3) IUustrated by J. Klassen. In this infectious boogie down Easy Street, readers are invited to count the dancing felines in multiples of two: "Six cats tango in red capes / up and down the fire escapes." Klassen injects lots of Ufe into his digital spreads (the cats' different costumes are particularly attention-grabbing) - no mean feat, given that he's working with a nocturnal palette, NB

Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose

32 pp. Little ISBN 978-0-316-05830-8 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Linzie Hunter. Her parents don't want a dog, but that doesn't stop AmeUa from hatching a weUthought-out and -executed plan to get her heart's desire. Colorful, skilfully composed iUustrations chronicle AmeUa 's scheme, from hypothetical questions to an imaginary dog to searching for said imaginary dog at the animal shelter to bringing a real dog home. Fellow dog-ownerwannabes will be in awe. SRA

Sullivan, Sarah Once upon a Baby Brother

32 pp. Farrar ISBN 978-0-374-34635-5 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Tricia Tusa. Second-grade writing whiz Lizzie's baby brother annoyingly interrupts her storytelling time and again. But when Mom takes him to visit Gramma, Lizzie find herself suffering from writer's block. The theme of coming to terms with a pesky new sibling is famitiar; however, the details - from Lizzie's lucky Princess Merriweather pencU to her flat-on-her-back storytelling pose - are uniquely Sullivan and Tusa's. NB

Sutton, Jane Don't Call Me Sidney

32 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-2753-3 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Renata Gallio. Sidney the pig loves to write poems for his friends. When he realizes that nothing rhymes with his own name, he changes it to "Joe." Sidney's new name takes some getting used to, and ultimately his mother's sadness makes him rethink the switch. The solution? A "rhyme-able nickname": Sid. Sidney's verses are bumpy, but the acrylic iUustrations have loads of personality. CHS

Tashlin, Frank The Bear That Wasn't

56 pp. NYRB ISBN 978-1-59017-344-2 $15.95

(2) Reissue (1946, Dutton). A bear wakes up from his winter sleep to find a factory buUt over his head. What's more, the foreman insists the bear go to work: "I don't work here. I'm a Bear.' 'You're a siUy man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat.'" The drawings have a cartoon quaUty and the story is adult-ish, but chUdren wiU find both funny. Review 3/46.

Taylor, Sean The Ring Went Zing!: A Story That Ends with a Kiss

40 pp. Dial ISBN 978-0-8037-3311-4 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Jill Barton. A frog presents his beloved chicken with a ring. Unfortunately, it drops and roUs away. A string of butterfingered animal friends on assorted vehicles help them catch it. The accompanying rhymes ("Diving catches were the rabbit's style. / But his diving catch missed by a mUe") are the percussive soundtrack in this cockeyed love song iUustrated with muted flamboyance, NB

Teague, Mark Firehouse!

32 pp. Scholastic/Orchard ISBN 978-0-439-91500-7 $16.99

(3) Dog Edward and his cousin Judy (Funny Farm) visit a firehouse. They participate in a drill and learn aU about fighting fires. When a real emergency happens - a kitten is stuck in a tree - Edward volunteers and rescues the cat. Humorous oU-paint Ulustrations of the nattily dressed pups show some of Edward's less successful attempts at helping out before being deemed a hero. PR

Thomson, Bill, Illustrator Chalk

40 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5526-4 $15.99

(3) One rainy day, three kids find a bag of colored chalk at a park and discover that whatever they draw (e.g., a yeUow sun) becomes real (the rain suddenly stops). Like Raymond Briggs's The Snowman, this wordless book wiU have readers happUy suspending disbeUef. The photoreaUstic art, which offers close-ups as weU as skewed aerial perspectives, is dazzling, NB

Thong, Roseanne Fly Free!

32 pp. Boyds ISBN 978-1-59078-550-8 $17.95

(3) Illustrated by Eujin Kim Neilan. This quiet story begins with Mai feeding some caged birds and wishing they were free; the tale ends with this act of kindness ("Fly free, fly free . . ."), after a series of other actions have occurred. Handsome, serene watercolors show stranger helping stranger with shoes, water, food, and finaUy good health. A brief explanation of some Buddhist precepts concludes the book. MG

Tierney, Fiona Lion's Lunch?

32 pp. Scholastic/Chicken House ISBN 978-0-545-17691-0 $17.99

(4) Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain. A lion, furious with a girl for walking and singing in his jungle, threatens to eat her - until she offers to draw him. The kindnessbreeds-beauty message feels pasted on, although the story's ingrethents - not-so-scary Uon, animal sounds, clever chUd - may entice younger chUdren. The mixed-media art is awash with vivid oranges, purples, and yeUows. NB

Tolman, Marije, and Ronald Tolman The Tree House

32 pp. Boyds/Lemniscaat ISBN 978-1-59078-806-6 $17.95

(3) Two bears tiving in a tree house don't mind when their tranquility is disturbed by a variety of uninvited animals, who are finaUy lured away by a third bear in some sort of baUoon boat. Children wiU appreciate this large-scale wordless book's whimsicality and its commanding art, especiaUy the tree house's out-of-focus look as it's battered by a rhino. NB

Tonatiuh, Duncan Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin

32 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-3872-4 $15.95

(3) Two cousins, one in Mexico and the other in America, write letters to each other about their everyday Uves. Facing pages demonstrate how their cultural differences are far less important than their commonaUties. Take the boys' favorite foods, for example: it's quesadiUas for CarUtos and pizza for CharUe. Side-by-side iUustrations show simUar images: both boys seated, with food in hand. A clever, weUexecuted conceit, tw

Torrey, Richard Why?

40 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-156170-2 $16.99

(3) Younger brother Jack (Almost) has enough questions, from practical ("Why do they put these holes in the crackers?") to personal ("Why can't I play with you?"), to fiU this book, which concludes with Jack's mother's goodnight kiss and the answer "That's why." Torrey's loose-handed illustrations capture the emotional range of this sympathetic everychild. NB

Ulmer, Wendy Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None

40 pp. Sleeping Bear ISBN 978-1-58536-461-9 $16.95

(5) IUustrated by Laura Knorr. At the 4 Color BaUoon Factory, rabbit Harry must blow up one hundred baUoons; to taUy them he - shortsightedly - pops them as he counts by tens, then fives, then twos. The mathematical concept is clear, but the book isn't much fun: Harry is infuriaringly stupid. The cartoony iUustrations feature a toothy all-animal cast and a basic palette, NB

Underwood, Deborah A Balloon for Isabel

32 pp. Greenwillow ISBN 978-0-06-177987-9 $16.99

(3) Illustrated by Laura Rankin. Young porcupine Isabel is peeved: the other animals in her graduating class get balloons, whUe she is slated for a boring bookmark because her teacher beUeves that "baUoons are not safe for porcupines." The wonderful denouement exposes the humanness of even stubborn grownups. The art is hUarious, especiaUy vignettes showing an increasingly miffed Isabel receiving bookmarks at previous school celebrations, NB

Underwood, Deborah Granny Gomez & Jigsaw

40 pp. Hyperion ISBN 978-0-7868-5216-1 $16.99

(3) IUustrated by Scott Magoon. Granny Gomez's pet pig Jigsaw gets so big that he outgrows their house. But after she buUds him a deluxe barn next door, they're both lonely. Even if readers can predict the story's resolution, they wiU acclaim the book for its barn-buUding, drum-playing Granny and its witty art, in which Granny and Jigsaw's exchanged glances say what their words can't. NB

Urbanovic, Jackie Sitting Duck

40 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06176583-4 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-176584-1 $18.89

(4) "How much trouble could a puppy get into, anyway?" In his fourth book, duck Max helps his canine friend Brody baby-sit his niece, Anabel. After Anabel wears Brody out, Max gets involved and discovers how much trouble an energetic puppy can be. It's fairly predictable, though the humorous iUustrations are adept at portraying Anabel 's exuberance and the sitters' exhaustion, CAL

Usatschow, Andre The Giant Wheel

32 pp. North-South ISBN 978-0-7358-2296-2 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Alexandra Junge. When zoo animals sneak off to the Ferris wheel next door, each has a distinctly unique view from the top. A crocodUe sees his homeland of Africa, whUe a polar bear glimpses the North Pole. This tale about longing for home inadvertently raises an ethical question about capturing wUd animals for zoos. Amusing illustrations filled with blues and yeUows accompany the story, PR

Vojta, Pat Stemper Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-79-0 $16.95

Vojta, Pat Stemper Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off | El señor Marmota quiere el día libre

32 pp. Raven Tree ISBN 978-1-934960-77-6 $16.95

PE ISBN 978-1-934960-78-3 $7.95

(5) Illustrated by Olga Levitskiy Mr. Groundhog is sick of being the bearer of bad news every Groundhog Day. He asks each of his animal friends to take over for him; though no one will, they aU help him smarten up his appearance. The text plods along and doesn't get much help from the cheerful but cheesy illustrations. The bilingual edition ends with a Spanish language vocabulary list. CP

Waddell, Martin Captain Small Pig

32 pp. Peachtree ISBN 978-1-56145-519-5 $15.95

(3) Illustrated by Susan Varley An eager Uttle pig, a supportive old goat, and a grumpy wild turkey stumble upon a rowboat. After overcoming their trepidation ("Turkeys don't go in boats' . . . 'Neither do goats'"), the three set out. SmaU Pig's enthusiasm buoys this cozy story Ulustrated with homey pen-and-ink iUustrations. ERG

Waldron, Kevin Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo

48 pp. Candlewick/Templar ISBN 978-0-7636-4549-6 $15.99

(3) After a zoo keeper's button pops off his jacket, he spends the day sell-castigating ("You're getting very fat," "You're getting old, too"), but the animals beUeve he's talking to them. After realizing that he mistakenly donned his son's jacket, he rights the wrongs. This whip-smart original tale is accompanied by digital art reminiscent of M. Sasek. NB

Ward, Jennifer There Was an Old Monkey Who Swallowed a Frog

40 pp. Cavendish ISBN 978-0-7614-5580-6 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Steve Gray. Set in a rainforest, this revision of the famitiar folk song features a monkey who swallows a succession of animals with the refrain: "I don't know why he swaUowed the frog. What a hog!" The nonsense generaUy works, despite more than a few compromises. Exaggerated computer-generated cartoons mirror the overblown text, FFB

Wargin, Kathy-jo Scare a Bear

32 pp. Sleeping Bear ISBN 978-1-58536-430-5 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by John Bendall-BruneUo. The team behind Moose on the Loose is back. This time around, Wargin 's bouncy rhymes and Bendall-Brunello's humor-filled iUustrations star a big brown bear who wreaks havoc at a campsite: "If he climbed in your bunk, / would the bed go kerplunk?" As in Moose, it's an adult-provided solution that saves the day - to scare a bear, "Just say. . . Boo!" CHS

Watson, Renée A Place Where Hurricanes Happen

40 pp. Random ISBN 978-0-375-85609-9 $15.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-95609-6 $20.99

(3) Illustrated by Shadra Strickland. Watson's lyrical prose describes life before and after Hurricane Katrina, as seen through the eyes of (fictional) children in a New Orleans neighborhood. The voices speak of family relationships, survival, and a slow return to normalcy - a paradigm for the resiUency of youth. Strickland's varied iUustrations capture the many moods of the text and the assertion that "Katrina turned New Orleans inside out." HMS

Watt, Melanie Chester's Masterpiece

32 pp. Kids Can ISBN 978-1-55453-566-8 $18.95

(3) In this meta-story, Chester the cat hides author Melanie Watt's supplies, so he can write his own tale. As Chester struggles with originality and encounters writer's block, Watt offers him - and the reader - pointers on how to construct a real story with a setting, characters, and plot. Attention-grabbing iUustrations show Chester, red marker in hand, drawing kid-friendly sketches, SJW

Weigel, Jeff Thunder from the Sea: Adventure on Board the HMS Defender

48 pp. Putnam ISBN 978-0-399-25089-7 $17.99

(4) Young Jack Hoyton has joined the British Royal Navy and is assigned to the frigate HMS Defender. Aboard the ship, he's surrounded by intrigue. The sophisticated story revolves around the Defender's task blockading a French town during the Napoleonic Wars. The cartoon-panel illustrations are too tightly packed with dialogue bubbles, but sidebars on each page help explain Ufe in the navy. Reading list. Bib. AMT

Weiss, Ellen The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story

32 pp. Abrams ISBN 978-0-8109-4066-6 $15.95

(4) Illustrated by Jerry Smath. Grandma Lola, a shrew, recounts a chUdhood story of when cousin Lester came to visit - and when Lola's terrible temper met her match. Lola and Lester duel it out in the tantrum department, which leaves them hungry and exhausted; their incessant sparring may wear out readers, too. Watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations effectively reflect the volume of the cousins' verbal brawls, SJW

Wheeler, Lisa Dino-Baseball

32 pp. Carolrhoda ISBN 978-0-7613-4429-2 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Barry Gott. Using the same formula as in Dino-Hockey and Dino-Soccer, Gott's energetic iUustrations and Wheeler's verse (some rhymes are a stretch) depict a baseball game played by dinosaurs. BasebaU and dinosaurs - two perenniaUy popular topics for picture books - are a winning combination, but, like a game that goes into extra innings, the book sometimes drags, MLB

Wilbur, Helen L. Lily's Victory Garden

40 pp. Sleeping Bear ISBN 978-1-58536-450-9 $16.95

(4) Illustrated by Robert Ganti Steele. Tales of Young Americans series. After the Bishops' son dies in World War II, do-gooder Lily volunteers to create a victory garden in their backyard. Lily is warned not to disturb Mrs. Bishop, but eventually (and not surprisingly) they become friends. The story, though wordy, is heartfelt, as are the somewhat stiff paintings. An appended spread provides historical context. MJS

Willems, Mo City Dog, Country Frog

64 pp. Hyperion ISBN 978-1-4231-0300-4 $17.99

(2) Illustrated by Jon J Muth. The dog and frog of the title become friends over the course of three seasons, but when the dog returns in winter, the frog is not to be found. This story of a friendship cut short by mortatity is economically told and bittersweet; its atmosphere is matched by Muth's paintings of the two at play in a glorious country landscape. Review 7/10. RS

Williams, Karen Lynn A Beach Tail

32 pp. Boyds ISBN 978-1-59078-712-0 $17.95

(3) Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Gregory draws a lion in the sand at the beach. As the Uon's taU gets longer, Greg gets farther and farther away from Dad. Willams's poetic text, including onomatopoeia (e.g., the "swish-swoosh" of the waves), and Cooper's expressive sandy-hued iUustrations draw readers into Gregory's emotions: joy, curiosity, anxiety, and, finally, relief. A simple and loving tale of a bond between father and son. HMS

Williams, Laura E. The Can Man

32 pp. Lee ISBN 978-1-60060-266-5 $18.95

(4) Illustrated by Craig Orback. Saving up for a skateboard, Tim returns cans for their deposits. It becomes increasingly apparent that he's in competition with a homeless man (who's remarkably sympathetic to Tim's efforts). When Tim realizes how much the "Can Man" needs the money, he relinquishes his earnings and learns a lesson about generosity. Orback's oU paintings enhance this textheavy moratity tale. MLB

Winter, Jonah Here Comes the Garbage Barge

40 pp. Random /Schwartz & Wade

ISBN 978-0-375-85218-3 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-95218-0 $20.99

(3) Illustrated by Red Nose Studio. After a Long Island town puts its unwanted garbage on a barge, North Carotina is the first of several ports to refuse it. Told with asides to the reader and stuffed with comical accents and spiky dialogue ("What the hairy heck?"), this uproarious book, based on a true 1987 incident, features remarkable iUustrations created from, appropriately enough, recycled materials, NB

Wiviott, Meg Benno and the Night of Broken Glass

40 pp. Kar-Ben LE ISBN 978-0-8225-9929-6 $17.95

PE ISBN 978-0-8225-9975-3 $7.95

(4) Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. Benno the cat's life changes for the worse after the city's synagogue and stores are destroyed and many of his friends disappear. This depiction of Kristallnacht is affecting and the collage-like illustrations dramatic, but the book's audience is unclear. The treatment could supplement other more-detaUed books on the event for older readers. An afterword is included. Reading list. Bib. MJS

Wood, Douglas Aunt Mary's Rose

32 pp. Candlewick ISBN 978-0-7636-1090-6 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. More sermon than story, Wood's text describes his family's care for one another and for a rosebush over several generations. The explicitly (and repetitively) stated message, which a young Wood learns from his great-aunt Mary, is that nurturing something (or someone) invests both caregiver and the cared for with part of the other's essence. Warm watercolor iUustrations show scenes of the Wood famüy, both past and present, MLB

Wood, Douglas Where the Sunrise Begins

40 pp. Simon ISBN 978-0-689-86172-7 $16.99

(5) Ulustrated by Wendy Popp. Soft-focus pastel-colored iUustrations are a good match for Wood's airy text, which poses the question, "Where does the sunrise begin?" The resulting tour leads readers to the mountains, the treetops, marshes and lakes, the ocean, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and "our native land." The New-Agey answer - "The sunrise begins in you" - is trite and predictable, KF

Yaccarino, Dan Lawn to Lawn

40 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-385-85574-0 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-95574-7 $20.99

(4) Four abandoned lawn ornaments set off to find their owner, Pearl, who has moved away with her family. They overcome obstacles and hide from garbage trucks ("once the trash truck takes a lawn ornament ... it never comes back!"), but in the end a garbage truck faciUtates their reunion with Pearl. Impeccable color and retro-looking art compensate for the lackluster text, PIH

Yolen, Jane My Father Knows the Names of Things

32 pp. Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-4895-7 $15.99

(3) Ulustrated by Stephane Jorisch. Who needs a dictionary when you've got a dad? This dad can name human bones, dogs, cheeses, and more. "He knows which mosses are the fuzziest. / He knows which insects are the buzziest." Playful iUustrations celebrate a son's admiration for his father and the numerous wonderful things to be known. SF

Yolen, Jane, and Heidi E. Y. Stemple Not All Princesses Dress in Pink

32 pp. Simon ISBN 978-1-4169-8018-6 $15.99

(4) Illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin. "Some princesses roU around, / wrestling on the muddy ground." A series of tight rhymes describe plain-clothed modern-day "princesses" playing soccer, wielding tools, etc., each with (let it be noted) "a sparkly crown" set primly atop her head. The book doesn't end memorably, but throughout it makes its ever-important girl-power point with panache and, thanks to Lanquetin's dynamic art, pizzazz. NB

Yolleck, Joan Paris in the Spring with Picasso

40 pp. Random/Schwartz & Wade

ISBN 978-0-375-83756-2 $17.99

LE ISBN 978-0-375-93756-9 $20.99

(4) Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. An off-stage narrator accompanies Gertrude Stein's talented friends throughout their day, leading to one of Stein's famous Saturday evening soirées. Swirling iUustrations in gouache and ink capture the joie de vivre and energy of the Paris environs. Back matter presents biographical information about Gertrude Stein, AUce B. Toklas, Max Jacob, GuiUaume Apollinaire, and Pablo Picasso. Beautifully done, but with questionable child-appeal, SMG

Young, Amy The Mud Fairy

32 pp. Bloomsbury ISBN 978-1-59990-104-6 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-1-59990-312-5 $17.89

(5) It's time for Emmalina to earn her wings, but she's not like the other fairies: she's more into frogs than flowers. Aside from the gentle jab at the girly-girl fairy-book genre, the story unfolds with no surprises - Emmalina is ultimately rewarded for her differences. The gouache iUustrations are tepid and feature an unrestrained and unappealing palette, NB

Young, Ned Zoomer

32 pp. HarperCollins/ Harper ISBN 978-0-06-170088-0 $16.99

LE ISBN 978-0-06-170090-3 $17.89

(4) With Mom away, it's Dad's job to get their pups ready for another school day. Twins Hooper and Cooper toe the line, but Zoomer has far too much on his to-do Ust to even think about school. The famiUar mom's-gone-so-things-getcrazy plot gets a Uft from a surprise ending and the bright primary-color iUustrations of Zoomer 's antics, CAL

Zalben, Jane Breskin Baby Shower

32 pp. Roaring Brook/Porter ISBN 978-1-59643-465-3 $16.99

(4) Leading up to her aunt's baby shower, Zoe, desperate for a pet, dreams that it rains kittens, puppies, bunnies, and piglets. After the party, she finds a dog huddled outside her aunt's apartment - and gets to keep it. The story tries to do too much; Zalben's weU-crafted, warm-hearted iUustrations attempt to keep up. ALC

Ziefert, Harriet Butterfly Birthday

40 pp. Blue Apple ISBN 978-1-60905-015-3 $16.99

(4) Illustrated by Mark Jones. As the bugs prepare for the vernal equinox feast, Little Ant notices the caterpillars are busy eating. He realizes they are getting ready for their metamorphosis and that the feast is to celebrate the butterflies' birthday. The brightly colored, amiable-looking insects are appealing, but the slight story's combination of fantasy and nature facts is a litile clumsy. RRW