(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Robert Meganck. Thirty-six poems in a variety of forms, paragraphs of information (in smaller-size type), and friendly (realistic but with hints of humor) digital illustrations together provide an effective cross-curricular introduction to spiders' appearance, behaviors, physiology, diet, and defenses. The poems' observations are sometimes lighthearted, sometimes thoughtful, and always enhance details in the accompanying text. Observation tips ("Spider hunt!"), suggested books and websites, notes on poetic forms, identification of species featured in the illustrations, size comparisons, and a glossary are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Robert Meganck. Nineteen poems (in various forms) accompanied by bright digital illustrations provide information both whimsical and scientific about inhabitants of the brown food web--the layer of leaves and soil where organic matter breaks down and plants grow. Each poem is accompanied by a smaller-print scientific explanation. Suggested experiments, critter size comparisons, and notes on poetic forms round out this information-packed poetry volume. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Lowery. Various poetic forms take readers on a funny and quirky tour of human anatomy, starting with the stomach and ending with complaints from some often-ignored organs such as the gallbladder. Sidebars contain more straightforward scientific information; humorous cartoons and some color micrographs are included. Appended "Poetry Notes" explain connections to Shakespeare's works and many of the poetic forms. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Frank W. Dormer. Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Miller's utterly believable wish to explore his town's fair on his own is thwarted first by adults and then by responsibility for his younger sister and her friends. A mistakenly eaten pie and a possible ghost add mild suspense, but the preteen's smallest concerns are the most identifiable and add the most humor. Rudimentary line drawings feel younger than the novel's characters.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Leslie Evans. Using complex poetry forms and cleverly constructed lines, Bulion pays tribute to sea creatures: "They're hunters and foragers, hiders and peekers, / continuous feeders and one-meal-a-weekers." Informational text accompanies each poem, which, combined with the backmatter on poetic form, makes this a useful interdisciplinary catch. Evans's spare, well-placed hand-colored linoleum block prints hold their own without overwhelming the text. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Nadie has always been best friends with Nick, but upon reaching upper-elementary school, they're faced with a rule: girls and boys cannot be friends. Life becomes even more complicated when new girl Summer ignores this rule. Nadie's narration is much too polished and mature to be convincing as a fourth grader's, but the realistic scenario teaches solid lessons about friendship and individuality.

Reviewer: Marika Jeffrey

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Leslie Evans. Each of the nineteen poems in this slim volume takes a different poetic form (e.g., Shakespearean sonnet for "Wolf Spider Mama") to convey information on the bug in question, to varying degrees of success. In addition to some creative design, Evans's linoleum block and watercolor prints add visual interest. Notes on the poetry forms are included. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell. Fatuma and her mother visit the market to buy Fatuma a new kanga, a traditional East African cloth. Though the story is somewhat contrived, the explanations of the cultural attributes of kangas, including the proverbs printed on them, are clear and engaging. The watercolor illustrations incorporate kanga patterns into the borders. An author's note and recipe for East African tea are appended.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam