(3) PS Illustrated by Cassia Thomas. After Elizabeth pushes Joe Fitzhugh at school, "Joe in turn / knocked Ethan Snell, / who tumbled down / on Annabelle." On grows the human pig pile until the mayhem is traced back to Elizabeth. The rhymes, which are supported by art featuring kids in humorously flamboyant dress-up wear, are strong enough to invite interest beyond the message.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Maland. Katie and James, engrossed in a messy cooking project, don't notice when a crocodile, camel, snake, and horse slip into the kitchen. But when a bear crashes the party, everyone pays attention. The children serve up a yummy main course, and all leave satisfied--except the bear, who stays for cake. The silly rhyming text is enhanced by exuberant watercolors.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Maland. Insomniac Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep enjoys quite a nightlife as he paints, reads, pilots a spaceship to Mars, and comes back home to his own bed. Occasional shifts in type size echo the rhythm of the narrative. The illustrations, featuring some Wild Things–like monsters, also make use of crosshatching and patterned backgrounds, calling Sendak to mind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) PS Illustrated by Nick Maland. When an alligator creeps into the apartment of three siblings, "Were the children scared? / YOU BET THEY WERE!" The repeated refrain adds suspense; the lighthearted illustrations make the story not too scary. The children finally order the alligator out "and was the alligator scared? / YOU BET IT WAS!" (In an urban legend nod, he retreats to the sewers.)

Reviewer: Angela Leeper

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marjolein Pottie. Josie, Ruby, and Little Rick cannot sleep--at least not in their own beds. Their patient and loving father eventually prevails, and Mom comes home to find her family comfortably asnooze in their proper places. Lightly alliterative text describes a familiar drama with gentle humor, and Pottie effectively uses close-ups and boldly outlined images for a dramatic presentation.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin