(4) K-3 Illustrated by Bruce Ingman. When mice eat a chunk of Swiss cheese, the two leftover holes become homeless. They try to take up residence in the king's sock, the queen's undies, and so on, but must flee before they're sewn up, etc. Finally, they prove their usefulness in a pair of royal flutes. It's a fresh premise, but the art occasionally looks incomplete.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Yu Rong. Because Squrriel's wise caregiver, Bear, has a cold, Squirrel must experience his first snowfall alone. When he tries to save the best snowflake for Bear, it melts in his pocket; Bear comforts him: "Snow comes and goes," but their love will last forever. Cozy illustrations--featuring occasional silhouettes, intricate line drawings, and one dramatic die-cut--complement the evocative language in this unconventional-family story.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) PS Illustrated by Jim Field. Set-in-his-ways koala Kevin stays in his tree. Despite the coaxings of a wombat, kangaroos, and dingoes, Kevin remains on his perch--until a woodpecker forces the issue by toppling the tree. Large cartoony illustrations show an endearing collection of outback pals. The rhyming text, though message-y ("life can be GREAT / when you try something NEW!"), is kid-friendly and relatable.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) PS In a sappy rhyming declaration of love from parent to child, an owl takes delight in spending time with its owlet as they share adventures and learn from each other. The (gender-unspecified) owl parent sprinkles its speech with hoos, which may attract the attention of young listeners ("But...you teach me too, hoo-hoo"). Bold, black-outlined illustrations featuring roundish, stocky owls provide touches of humor.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 4-6 Batman & Robin Adventures series. Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio. Batman and the Boy Wonder defeat familiar foes in these accessible books. Simple story lines--featuring comic book–style sound effects ("ZWIIIIP!") within the text--combine with rapid pacing and playful banter for slight but entertaining reads. Snazzy colors and popular characters will likely appeal to reluctant readers. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these Batman & Robin Adventures titles: The Joker's Magic Mayhem, Scarecrow's Nightmare Maze, Clayface's Slime Spree, and Two-Face Face-Off.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Batman & Robin Adventures series. Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio. Batman and the Boy Wonder defeat familiar foes in these accessible books. Simple story lines--featuring comic book–style sound effects ("ZWIIIIP!") within the text--combine with rapid pacing and playful banter for slight but entertaining reads. Snazzy colors and popular characters will likely appeal to reluctant readers. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these Batman & Robin Adventures titles: The Joker's Magic Mayhem, Scarecrow's Nightmare Maze, Clayface's Slime Spree, and Two-Face Face-Off.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) PS Illustrated by Chris Chatterton. A group of animal friends jumps too hard on a bed, causing it to break. After initially blaming one another, the friends cooperate to fix the bed so their fun can continue. The story has some unexpected twists (a sleeping bear under the covers) and a mostly successful rhyme scheme. The jovial illustrations are big and bright, with thick, black text emphasizing the action.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 4-6 Also written by Kate Saunders. With decorations by Mark Burgess in the style of E. H. Shepard. The authors pay homage to Milne and his characters for the ninetieth anniversary of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh. Four seasonal stories ably re-create the feeling of the original books, and Burgess does an admirable job of picturing Christopher Robin, Pooh, and the rest. Fans who want more Pooh adventures will be pleased (though purists may not).

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) PS Love Monster has trouble sleeping and hears scary noises, which turn out to be his bunny friend coming over for company. Dynamic font changes reflect the characters' emotions and the volume of numerous sound effects. Bright's bold-colored illustrations with thick black outlines are slightly spooky at times, but the resolution is full of laughter, cuddles, and bravery.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jim Field. Timid, soft-spoken Mouse, tired of being small and ignored, admires Lion's outgoing bravado and loud roar. Thinking that a roar of his own will solve his problems, Mouse seeks out Lion's help, only to discover that Lion is afraid of mice; an odd-couple friendship ensues. The theme of not judging by first impressions is enlivened by bold, comically detailed illustrations.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Debi Gliori. Little Mouseling is so small that she can't keep up with her siblings. Her search for a friend is fruitless--she can't swim like Toad Flip, fly like Owl Hooty, etc.--until she meets a vole that's just her size. After they bond, the story loses steam, but the rhymes are wall-to-wall comfort, and Gliori is at her effulgent best.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Love Monster greedily prepares to devour the entire box of chocolates he's found on his doorstep, but a "queasy-squeezy feeling in his heart" stops him. When he instead opens the box to share with friends, he discovers a lovely surprise they've left for him inside. Etchings with rough black lines and soft pastel coloring help convey the sweet story's when-you-give-you-get sentiment.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) PS Love Monster wants to give his beloved monster friend a "wonderful, shinyful" present. He can't afford anything store-bought, so he puts together a homemade gift instead: "You see, sometimes the perfect present doesn't have to cost the earth... / ...to mean the world." The book is cloying in places, but humor--especially in printmaker Bright's vibrant etchings--provides some relief.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 1-3 DC Super Heroes series. Illustrated by Tim Levins. These three books present various superhero stories in chapter-book format. Simple story lines--featuring characteristic comic book–style onomatopoeia within the text--combine with rapid pacing and not-so-witty playful banter for slight but entertaining reads. Snazzy colors and familiar characters will likely appeal to reluctant readers. Superhero and supervillain glossaries are appended. Review covers these DC Super Heroes titles: Batman vs. Catwoman, Superman vs. Bizarro, and Supergirl vs. Brainiac.

Reviewer: Shara Hardeson

(4) PS An odd-looking monster, who's the only non-cute creature in Cutesville, finally meets his true love (another odd-looking monster) after a long search. Bright concludes that "sometimes, when you least expect it...love finds you," but the ending of this lightweight love story isn't particularly unexpected. The chatty narrative and bold illustrations do, however, offer humorous moments.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 4-6 DC Super-Villains series. Illustrated by Shawn McManus. "Superman would persevere until the bitter end...where Lex would destroy him for good!" Three supervillains star in these action-packed page-turners, which may appeal to reluctant readers. After two-page profiles of the bad guys, the exclamation-point-heavy texts play out their good-versus-evil scripts. The colorful comic-book art also lacks nuance but matches the texts' energy. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these DC Super-Villains titles: Joker on the High Seas, Lex Luthor and the Kryptonite Caverns, and Black Manta and the Octopus Army.

Reviewer: Ariel D. Rosen

(4) 4-6 DC Super-Villains series. Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio. "Superman would persevere until the bitter end...where Lex would destroy him for good!" Three supervillains star in these action-packed page-turners, which may appeal to reluctant readers. After two-page profiles of the bad guys, the exclamation-point-heavy texts play out their good-versus-evil scripts. The colorful comic-book art also lacks nuance but matches the texts' energy. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these DC Super-Villains titles: Joker on the High Seas, Lex Luthor and the Kryptonite Caverns, and Black Manta and the Octopus Army.

Reviewer: Ariel D. Rosen

(3) 4-6 Web of Life series. These books survey crucial biological concepts. Seven processes (movement, respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, and growth), food chains and webs, biodiversity, conservation, and animal case studies provide a detailed picture of the connectedness of earth's creatures. The spacious design includes captioned photos, sidebars, and helpful charts and diagrams. Essential vocabulary is defined throughout. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Web of Life titles: The Future of Life on Earth, Life Processes, and Food Chains and Webs.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 4-6 Web of Life series. These leveled-text editions for reluctant upper-elementary-age readers survey crucial biological concepts. Seven processes (movement, respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, and growth), food chains/webs, biodiversity, conservation, and animal case studies provide a detailed picture of the connectedness of earth's creatures. The spacious design includes captioned photos, sidebars, and helpful charts and diagrams. Essential vocabulary is defined throughout. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Web of Life titles: The Future of Life on Earth: Express Edition, Life Processes: Express Edition, and Food Chains and Webs: Express Edition.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Chapman. The horrible Snorklum monster is on his way home, late, as evening falls. He can't resist stopping to catch every animal he meets, to eat later for dinner. Energetic illustrations grow darker as time passes--but the animals grow bolder since they've heard that after sunset the Snorklum shrivels. With a satisfying "Pooffft!" the story ends and the animals escape.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley