(3) YA Spare and well written, this slim novel covers the days following a teacher's disappearance during a class outing. Eleven girls must make their way back to school where they are determined to keep their teacher's rendezvous with the local park's gardener a secret. The book's chilling atmosphere and mature tone are best suited for older readers.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Tohby Riddle. In the guise of the eponymous Word Snoop, Dubosarsky delivers a cursory, chatty tour of the evolution of the English language from ancient to modern times. She covers expected topics (spelling, punctuation) in addition to a potpourri of lesser-known tidbits; her enthusiasm for the intricacies and oddities of the English language is infectious. Pen-and-ink drawings help keep the lessons light. Glos.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(2) PS Illustrated by Andrew Joyner. A falling apple sparks mass hysteria among the forest animals--until the littlest rabbit calms down and identifies "the Plop." This is classic picture book fare with unfaltering rhythms, perfectly choreographed page turns, and the great satisfaction of readers being smarter than the protagonists. Jaunty drawings with a touch of collage demonstrate that even a dust cloud can have the presence of a character.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(1) 4-6 Sisters Matilda, Frances, and Elizabeth live in a tiny suburb near Sydney. In fall 1954, the neighboring house becomes the hideaway of Australia's Soviet ambassador who has defected. Dubosarsky captures place and period with the heightened awareness of a dream. In lucid, poetic prose she explores the acute but partial perceptions of children struggling with a world under threat.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2007

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Mackintosh. Schoolchildren draw wildly divergent pictures of their class pet, Rex, a chameleon who goes home with a different child every each day. The premise--chameleon Rex is whatever each kid wants him to be--is inspired but may require some explanation. The ebullient art effectively reflects the kids' individual styles (although some of the children themselves are rendered fairly grotesquely).

Reviewer: Nell Beram