(3) K-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Grief-stricken after her favorite tree is cut down, Tess decides to have a funeral. Several people speak: Tess's teacher reads a poem and an elderly neighbor remembers how she used to climb the tree herself. Tess, whose emotions are reflected in Brallier's spare text and Reynolds's clean-lined illustrations, feels better when she sees her tree's life had meaning for others too.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. The fast-paced biographies in this series do a good job of revealing the personalities and significant achievements of their subjects. Plentiful black-and-white illustrations and simple prose make the books particularly appealing to reluctant readers, and the brief sidebars never overwhelm the main texts. Each volume has two timelines--one for the subject's life, the other listing concurrent world events. [Review covers these titles: Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Ben Franklin?, Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Annie Oakley?.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 No Sweat Projects series. Illustrated by Bob Staake. Each book offers dozens of facts about its subject (balls, shadows, hair, or thumbs) and suggests a number of cheap, quick, interesting, and often clever projects using very basic materials. Short on theory but long on engagement, the overly busy pages are filled with cartoons, photos, and boxed information, all presented in conversational language that still conveys serious suggestions about projects and their presentation.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 No Sweat Projects series. Illustrated by Bob Staake. Each book offers dozens of facts about its subject (balls, shadows, hair, or thumbs) and suggests a number of cheap, quick, interesting, and often clever projects using very basic materials. Short on theory but long on engagement, the overly busy pages are filled with cartoons, photos, and boxed information, all presented in conversational language that still conveys serious suggestions about projects and their presentation.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 No Sweat Projects series. Illustrated by Bob Staake. Each book offers dozens of facts about its subject (balls, shadows, hair, or thumbs) and suggests a number of cheap, quick, interesting, and often clever projects using very basic materials. Short on theory but long on engagement, the overly busy pages are filled with cartoons, photos, and boxed information, all presented in conversational language that still conveys serious suggestions about projects and their presentation.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 No Sweat Projects series. Illustrated by Bob Staake. Each book offers dozens of facts about its subject (balls, shadows, hair, or thumbs) and suggests a number of cheap, quick, interesting, and often clever projects using very basic materials. Short on theory but long on engagement, the overly busy pages are filled with cartoons, photos, and boxed information, all presented in conversational language that still conveys serious suggestions about projects and their presentation.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian