(3) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Meisel. A boy describes his baby sister's transformation from cute-and-cuddly tot to "Vampire Baby." He tries to give her away to a nice vampire family, but, satisfyingly, he ends up baring his own teeth to defend his little sis. Bennett's humorous conversational text plays to realism (i.e., Tootie is a normal teething baby) while Meisel's clean-lined mixed-media illustrations agreeably maintain the baby-as-vampire conceit.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(3) PS Illustrated by David Walker. While reminiscing over family photos, a grandmother describes to her granddaughter the ways the little girl is like her mother was when she was a child: "Your mommy was bouncy and twirly-whirly. Just like you." Pastel-hued acrylic illustrations elaborate on the notion, showing many vignettes of Mommy as a child--playing soccer, learning to ride a bike, and enduring a time-out in the corner.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) PS Illustrated by David Walker. A grandmother tells her young grandson about all the ways his father was just like him while growing up. Both were reluctant to start school, both hoped to avoid vaccinations, and both are familiar with the time-out chair, all shown in soft, comforting acrylic illustrations. Young children will see themselves in the details of the narration.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Meisel. A girl lists the differences between her father and stepfather ("Pop takes pictures. Dad takes naps") but concludes by noting their common ground: "They both love me!" This reassuring book will appeal to a wide audience beyond those readers who share the narrator's domestic situation. Meisel's illustrations portray the two dads' divergent looks and sensibilities.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. A young African-American boy is unhappy with his birthday present: a goldfish he names Norman. His awakening to Norman's virtues is so gradual and funny that readers won't mind that they can predict the book's ending: the boy can't go through with trading Norman for a more charismatic pet. Appealing digitally rendered art is clean-lined without looking synthetic.

Reviewer: Nell Beram