(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carol Ashley. The titular carnival is a house of horrors. Tattoos come to life, devil's food cake is aptly named, and the teacup ride is more like a tempest. Tricky double meanings and surprising yet inevitable punch lines make these well-metered poems even more enjoyable than the "Scary-Go-Round." Illustrations use just enough light to show that this is a place of both fun and fear.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jill McElmurry. Miss Mary Lynn MacIntosh lives a tidy life, but something is missing. Mary is lonely. When she adopts Blue, an untrained basset with uncanny canine magnetism, Mary ends up with a whole lot more than she bargained for. Short lines and familiar vocabulary make this a treat to read and hear. Rich gouache illustrations capture the book's old-fashioned feel.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2008