(3) K-3 Silly Millies series. Illustrated by Mike Gordon. A young boy encourages construction vehicles to do their work by shouting at each one in turn: "What are you waiting for?" Readers can guess what the truck will do; a turn of the page reveals the truck in its entirety and the boy commanding: "Dump it!" "Drill away!" "Mix it!" Comical, sketchy illustrations help tell this brief story about the building of a playground.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) YA Set in 1941, this novel tells of thirteen-year-old Elin, an adopted daughter of lighthouse keepers, whose sheltered life changes after she and her father rescue two boys on a stormy night. When Elin's mother falls ill, Elin is left alone to tend the light. Unexpected help comes just in time as German U-boats torpedo a ship off the coast. While the effects of war seem forced, details of island life and Elin's coming of age are compelling.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(3) 1-3 Nine-year-old Dilly can't wait to head off to sleepover camp. In diary entries, she counts down the days and details the unanticipated adjustment to and eventual delight with camp life. The blue-lined notebook pages bustle with handwritten entries, colorful doodles, snapshots, and amusing asides. Dilly's character, and her thoughts and feelings, are funny, forthright, and believable.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli