(3) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. In this rhyming tribute, a girl shares the activities that no one can do "just like Mama": "Nobody combs my hair just like Mama...Nobody snuggles just like Mama." The hearts-and-flowery pen-and-marker illustrations display the mother-daughter activities from a variety of interesting perspectives.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Three little fish set out to make homes of their own, but a seaweed house and a sandcastle are no match for the big bad shark. The third choice--a sunken ship--is impossible to crunch through and renders the predator toothless. This undersea take on the Three Little Pigs is overly busy but features vivid cartoon illustrations.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. In this latest entry in the Science Play series, the concepts center on gravity, with questions and age-appropriate experiments and opportunities for observation that encourage young listeners to think like scientists. The sense of joy, highlighted in the rollicking illustrations, with sentences bounding across the pages, reinforces the concept that there is wonder in even the most everyday of occurrences.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julia Gorton. This book is geared to two age groups. The simple rhyming text and uncluttered collage art will appeal to preschoolers; the illustrated sidebars, which briefly discuss such advances as microrobots, mesicopters, and robofish, are appropriate for older readers (who will be put off by the preschool look). Despite the bifurcated approach, this is an informative introduction. Websites.

Reviewer:

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Cobb uses a familiar experience--the push of wind on children and objects--to develop the concept of air being made of molecules. An interactive format guides adults and children through activities using common household objects; the text features well-posed questions and succinct explanations. The inventive layout and playful illustrations are a convincing invitation to investigate the science behind everyday experience.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2003

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Nine sections with such titles as "Meet the Magnet" contain definitions, explanations, and easy experiments related to magnetic, electrical, and gravitational fields. Cartoon drawings of the author and her sidekick-creature Igor enliven the material, sometimes frenetically; but the busy mix generally works well, even including historical bits among instructions for removing iron from cereal and making one's tongue into a magnet.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2002

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. These books serve as guides for adults and children working together and are designed to be read for a few pages, set aside to conduct an activity, and returned to in order to make sense of what happened. The simple, well-conceived questions and explanations help young kids draw conclusions from their observations. The child-friendly, straightforward text is accompanied by bright and energetic illustrations. [Review covers these titles: I Get Wet and I See Myself.]

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2002

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julia Gorton. A high-spirited boy describes his dog, and it's clear he loves his pet. With every illustrative word he adds to the cumulative portrayal, the boy includes superlatives for emphasis: "He's the most slobbery dog I've ever met!" Though the text doesn't amount to much more than a list, the tone of the book is upbeat and endearing, and the airbrushed acrylic artwork exudes retro charm.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. One side of this upside-down book starts with a morning stretch and goes on to highlight the things hands can do (washing up, holding a butterfly, holding hands). The flip side begins with wiggling toes and then focuses on dancing, prancing feet throughout the day. Both sides meet in the middle where hands and feet (and two little girls) settle down to sleep. The airbrushed acrylic art is bland, but different textures add visual interest.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. "Ten rosy roses standing in a line, / Jan picks one and now there are nine." The counting poem is illustrated with bold paintings portraying a world of flat geometric shapes that contrast with the rounded, softer shapes of children and flowers. Although a final spread neatly extends the poem, showing the children giving all ten roses to their teacher, neither the art nor the text is especially compelling.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Julia Gorton. After three young beach-goers measure their sandcastles' features with different-sized shovels, spoons, and footsteps, Larry the Lifeguard demonstrates the importance of using a standard unit of measurement. Crisp, airbrushed acrylic illustrations offer clear, visual reinforcement with one crucial exception: the numbers on Larry's tape measure are too small to read. Related activities and stories are suggested.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger