(3) PS Illustrated by Jeff Harter. Driver Dee and school bus Trusty head out on the morning route to pick up riders. They patiently wait for students who are late or who need extra help--and stop to help a family of ducks cross the street safely. In the afternoon, the children show Trusty and Dee how much they are appreciated. The jaunty, onomatopoeia-filled rhyming text combines with cheerful illustrations of the students (all portrayed as animals) to make an entertaining and energetic read.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(4) PS Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. Though Walt is smaller than the other city snowplows, he's determined to do his bit when a blizzard hits. A steep hill looks to defeat him, but with the help of his driver, Gus, Walt succeeds. A familiar theme (à la "I think I can") and illustrations (think Katy and the Big Snow) make for a not-terribly-original but perfectly pleasant picture book.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) PS Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello. Ten wood ducklings hatch high up in a tree and must make their first big leap to the ground below. The tenth duckling is last to hatch and, after lots of familial encouragement, the last to leap and join the others in the pond. Soft watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations pair with a pleasantly rhyming text in this gentle tale.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson