(3) K-3 Illustrated by Terry Widener. In this tender holiday tale, a German-American cobbler and his family lose almost everything in a fire, and the cobbler must sell their heirloom ornaments to obtain new tools for his trade. But the man's kindheartedness inspires help from an unexpected corner, and on Christmas Day, their tree is adorned with beautiful decorations after all. Emphasizing simple geometric shapes, the artwork gives the book a homey feel.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Bernie Fuchs. Confederate Captain LeNoir revels in racing his schooner Southern Belle against other ships. But LeNoir's fortune sinks with his ship in a raging nor'easter. From then on the Southern Belle sails during storms as a ghost ship, racing vessels to their doom. The suspenseful, well-paced story and the atmospheric oil paintings, steeped in the eerie, ever-changing colors of the sea, perfectly capture the tale's drama.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. In this classic Japanese tale, a poor sailmaker's kindness to an injured crane brings him the wife he so desires and whose loss he suffers through his own greed and lack of trust. Bodkin's language reaches moments of stunning poetry, and Spirin creates exquisitely beautiful pages, whose gilded appearance serves as an artful foil to the whiteness of the feathery crane.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1998