(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary Azarian. The book opens with what looks like an extended family sitting around a table laden with food; the diners then proceed to give thanks to all those who helped provide their feast, from farmers and fishermen to truckers and grocery clerks. Sumptuous woodcut illustrations on clean double-page spreads and a simple, gently rhyming text celebrate the workers and the process.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) K-3 Illustrated by France Brassard. Jerome describes how he feels when his mother, a sailor with the U.S. Navy, is away at sea. Brisson is better with the story's emotions, some of which Jerome transfers to his dog, than with the story's definition of bravery, which Jerome overexplains. The somewhat generic-sounding narration is offset by photorealistic watercolors that help personalize the story.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA "I have to find a way that I can show them / I'm not a saint and I can raise some hell." In this verse novel, fifteen-year-old Molly makes herself over to attract the new bad-boy at school. She gets pregnant and faces a difficult, life-changing decision. Some plot elements are forced, but varied poetic forms keep Molly's narration engaging.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. "Night is to moon / as day is to sun," begins two siblings' rhyming, seaside romp through the world of analogies. A day at the beach serves as a suitable backdrop for exploring linguistic relationships, but, while the analogies are correctly constructed, the device grows a bit tiresome. Energetic, brightly hued illustrations add a hint of whimsy to each word pair.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. This is the story of how Bertie ends up with a black eye, a missing front tooth, and a terrible haircut all in time for school pictures. The tone is light, and neither Bertie nor his family ever dwell on these superficial problems, concentrating instead on Bertie's good qualities. Bluthenthal's cheery sketches grace almost every page. The format, with plenty of white space, will appeal to young readers.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Wendell Minor. As Emily's mother battles cancer, she and ten-year-old Emily store up sky memories--mental images of the sky at various moments during their life together. Emily's first-person narrative explores her complicated feelings, and the sky memories add emotional depth. An attractive painting of the sky illustrates each memory.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) 1-3 Redfeather Chapter Book series. Illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. Although Hester tricks her little sister Edna into cleaning her room for her, and Edna taunts Hester with a chocolate bar she doesn't seem willing to share, the two obviously care about each other when all is said and done. Black-and-white cartoon sketches help keep the tone light throughout the four short chapters, each a different episode in the girls' relationship.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 Momentary thoughtlessness destroys months of work when a boy and his friends pelt each other with vegetables from an elderly man's garden. Despite the unattractively sun-bleached illustrations, the story makes a strong emotional impact as it chronicles the beginnings of the lifelong friendship that ensues the following year when the remorseful boy offers to help the man replant his garden.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.