(4) K-3 Illustrated by Robert Papp. Facts from various Titanic memoirs are woven into this story of young Jim from Belfast. As cabin boy, he is responsible for the ship's cat and her kittens, whose defection from the Titanic leads to his own--and thus saves his life. Detailed soft-edged paintings of Jim, the ship, and the felines are beguiling (though a few pictures are stiff).

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Ameer, young servant to one of the Three Kings, owns only his dog, Ra. When their caravan reaches Bethlehem, Ameer realizes what gift he can offer the newborn Christ. Cooper's soft, static paintings reflect the solemnity of this wordy Nativity story featuring black characters. Crisp's author's note explains the inspiration for the tale.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 4-6 Kids' FAQs series. "What's the difference between a pony, a donkey, and a mule?" "Why do horses wear shoes?" In an eye-catching design with large color photos, Crisp provides interesting answers to twenty-eight questions about horses. The questions are randomly organized, but the responses will whet young readers' appetites for more information. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Kids' FAQs series. "Do dolphins have a sense of smell?" "Do dolphins have enemies?" A Q-and-A format provides plenty of interesting information about these marine mammals. The conversational text and colorful photographs are combined in an accessible design, which should draw report-writers to this book. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 On his way to America to live with his mother and new stepfather, twelve-year-old Sam Harris falls in love with Star, Titanic executive Ismay's Irish setter. When the Titanic sinks, Sam and Star must save each other. A predictable plot and stiff dialogue still manage to convey interesting details about the Titanic's terrible demise. A timeline, map, additional facts, and reading list are appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Ben, his tagalong cousin Danny, and a dog named Captain leave Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in hopes of bringing Ben's older brother home from the Union army. When the boys arrive in Gettysburg, Ben must aid the war wounded and assist in burying the dead bodies. Although these scenes are strong, most of the preceding episodes are blandly recounted in a slow, meandering plot.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by True Kelley. As the target of the class bully, Abbie has always dreamed of having a big, strong dog. When he cares for his aunt's Yorkshire terrier, he is disappointed with the tiny dog, named Cat. Predictably, he grows to love Cat and learns about the unimportance of size. In the end, his aunt gives him the dog. There are no surprises here; still, this is a brisk, humorous read for kids who love dog stories.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 4-6 After Josh finds an abandoned warehouse filled with dead and dying greyhounds, he adopts one of the survivors. Josh longs to race Ratzo again, until he discovers how inhumane racing can be. Instead, he and Ratzo run in a community race. Although the villains are fairly flat and the story has perhaps too many threads, the tension is high as Josh discovers Ratzo's--and his own--strengths.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley