(4) K-3 Illustrated by Glenna Lang. Flat, simple scenes and subdued colors illustrate this reflective poem about a young girl who encounters a spirited colt in a field. While her mother watches nearby, the girl plays with her dog and wonders about the colt as he experiences his first snowfall. Though the illustrations lack movement, they suit the quiet tone of the poem. An author's note provides insight into the text and a brief biographical sketch of Frost.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 After introducing identical twins Peter and Paul and explaining that their mother disagrees with people who think they are exactly alike, Fuchshuber profiles mothers from the animal kingdom with three, four, five, on up to ten, fifty, and over one hundred look-alike babies, asserting the uniqueness of each. Cheery animal illustrations round out the rather odd counting book.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) YA Landmark Supreme Court Cases series. With the exception of Gibbons v. Ogden, all the books study twentieth-century legal cases. Historical background is provided, both sides of each litigation are summarized, and the subsequent historical impact of each Supreme Court decision is discussed. Dry writing, bland black-and-white photographs, and the inclusion of discussion questions in most of the volumes make the series uninviting. All the books but Hazelwood contain glossaries. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Living for the Future series. Illustrated with color photographs, these books trace three families' immigration and adjustments to life in the United States, as well as the ways they continue to honor their heritage. The engaging details of how they maintain their respective traditional values (holiday celebrations, food) while enjoying their adopted country are often bogged down by bland historical background discussions. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Translated by James Anderson. Illustrated by Sally Gardner. Awaiting the arrival of a new sibling, Joe meets Mika, an inquisitive, interplanetary traveler with whom he discusses evolution, astronomy, and religion. Mika leaves Joe with renewed wonder for the world around him, including his new baby brother. Ingenuous in tone, this whimsical fantasy owes a debt in both words and pictures to Saint-Exup_ry's The Little Prince.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) YA Crime, Justice, and Punishment series. Focusing on terrorism in the Middle East, Israeli retaliation, and how it has affected America, Gaines also traces the history of terrorism and refers to politically motivated violence in other world hot spots. Well-written and accompanied by relevant black-and-white photos, the book offers a compact and provocative picture of terrorism and the sometimes double-edged responses to it. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) 4-6 Race Car Legends series. Six accomplished athletes, from Althea Gibson to Debi Thomas to Pat Head Summitt, are profiled in brief essays. Gaines portrays the determined natures of these women and highlights the challenges each overcame to become a "female first" in her sport. Illustrated with poorly reproduced black-and-white photos in an uninspired design, this book will nevertheless serve as an adequate introduction to these role models. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Composite Guide series. Published spring 1998.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Many topics in astronomy and the earth sciences are discussed using the sun and earth as examples to explain the life cycles of stars and the formation of the universe. Gallant covers, in minute detail, the physics of the sun, types of stars, and the origins of life and climates on earth. Black-and-white photographs and diagrams accompany the text. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 First Book series. This book is divided into six chapters on cave formation, features, and inhabitants past and present. The thorough explanations of sometimes competing scientific theories on cave formation include quotes from art and science experts. Color photographs and their captions are well matched to the informative text. A helpful internet site index can assist readers in finding a nearby cave to visit. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 A well-constructed, up-to-date text deftly describes the geological and stellar processes that have shaped the earth and its planetary neighbors over billions of years. General appeal is unfortunately hampered by an uninspired design and low-quality black-and-white photographs. A useful list of appropriate internet websites is provided. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) YA Plagued by nightmares of snakes, Dusa agrees to be a research subject for the Gordon sisters, a doctor and psychologist. But when she arrives on their remote Greek island and discovers that she is the only patient, Dusa becomes suspicious. Although shifts in point of view sometimes break the reader's identification with Dusa, Galloway successfully brings elements of the mythological story of Medusa into a modern-day setting.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 'My Father's Dragon' (1948), 'Elmer and the Dragon' (1950), and 'The Dragons of Blueland' (1952) have been collected in one volume, fifty years after the publication of 'My Father's Dragon'. Though the compendium is an attractive package, the illustrations are not reproduced as crisply as they were in the original books (or even in the paperback editions). Still, it's a treasure for those who love these classic stories. Reviews 5/48, 11/50, 2/52.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(1) 4-6 In this rollercoaster of a ride, ingenuously and breathlessly narrated by young Joey Pigza, readers are treated to an up-close and personal introduction to life with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder--or being "wired," as Joey puts it. His forthright, kidlike commentary has an unaffected charm in this compelling tragicomedy.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1998

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Nicole Rubel. Ralph experiences the ugly but familiar feelings of jealousy and selfishness when he fears he may have to share Sarah with new school friends. Gantos's skillful examination of the child's world is once again evident as the author probes a common negative emotion and suggests, but never preaches, a positive outcome. Rubel's illustrations depict a consistently naughty feline, yet manage to make him believable whether worried and abandoned or loved and purring.

Reviewer: Elizabeth S. Watson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 1998

(4) YA This skeptical look at telepathy, ghosts, and UFOs describes several well-known events, such as the Roswell Incident, then exposes them as hoaxes or provides scientific explanations for them. The book includes experiments that readers can use to test their psychic abilities--along with explanations that show the results are dependent on tricks rather than supernatural phenomena. Dull black-and-white photos and illustrations accompany the text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Dear America series. As talk of hostility increases just prior to Texas's war of independence from Mexico, thirteen-year-old Lucinda does what she can to help her family. Her father opposes the war, but her brother goes to San Antonio to defend the Alamo. Lucinda's story is engaging while showing the complicated issues of the revolution. The book includes a historical note and pictures from the time.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 The lives of three generations of fishermen in Vietnam and America are woven together in a story narrated by a Vietnamese-American boy out on his father's shrimp boat. Though occasionally more poetic than realistic, the text is simple and lyrical. Watercolors depicting the expanse of the sea evoke the unity of the one fishing family, even though distance and history has kept them far apart.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Hervé Blondon. Echoes and reverberations of folklore and ancient legend are present in this dreamlike tale of two children found by a poor fisherman. After he dies, a witch sends the boy on three quests, his sister rescues him, and they learn they were stolen at birth from their parents--the king and queen. Stylized, geometric, haunting illustrations accompany the story.

Reviewer: Barbara Harrison

(4) 4-6 Photographs by Jerry Gay. Published spring 1998.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey