(2) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. Little Good Wolf is menace-free: well-mannered, tidy, and hygienic. This frustrates Papa and Mama Wolf, who send him on the Big Bad Bus to the Big Bad School, run by (in a clever play on words) Prince A. Bull and with teacher Wicked Stepmother. In a series of lessons ranging from Basic Badness to Bad Behavior, Little Good Wolf's inherently kind tendencies dominate. He convinces Giant to play baseball instead of whomping him with a club, and he subverts the Bad Manners lesson by teaching Troll how to eat politely. Expelled, the wolf wanders the forest but eventually finds his way home to grateful parents who have missed their son and changed their ways. (Papa Wolf's desperate attempts to impress his son by combing his teeth will elicit laughs.) Both Stevens and Crummel have fun putting a new spin on traditional characters in this fractured fairy tale. In full-bleed spreads, Stevens animates trolls, dragons, and more with much detail and humor, and three vertical spreads emphasize not only the imposing staff at the Big Bad School but also the abiding love Little Good Wolf's parents have for him. The last page subtly reminds readers that happiness comes from being "different," "interesting," and true to oneself. And it features a visual joke (involving a red apple seen earlier in the story) that wraps up this satisfying tale with a wicked wink.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. When Farmer Jones and his family, who live in the Dell, find their cheese has been stolen, they call bloodhound Sherlock Bones, who "can solve any crime, anywhere, any time." Sherlock uses all his senses to track the pizza-making giant on top of a beanstalk. Bold and distinctive cut-paper illustrations complement the lively text, with its playful intermittent rhymes.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(2) PS Zipping around the apartment, trying to round things up, urban cattle dog Dog longs for the life he was made for. But once on the farm, clueless Dog tries to round up a chicken, a pig, and a donkey; readers will spot the cow before he does. Stevens packs a lot of emotion into the canine's frenetic body movements and the cow's gentle eyes.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2013

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. With a stack of papers to grade, Little Red Pen calls for help from her friends the stapler, scissors, eraser, etc.; their excuses quickly mount up. After Little Red falls into the trashcan, though, the lazy office supplies rescue her. This rollicking read-aloud, with humor-filled watercolors, includes enough plays on words to keep even the most jaded reader chortling.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. To escape the "tongue-hanging-out" heat of Dog City, Ten-Gallon Bart heads up to Alaska to enjoy some sledding, fishing, and digging for gold. Grumpy grizzlies, a sled-dog-driving moose, and a dog-burying storm leave him longing for home. Fans of Ten-Gallon Bart may appreciate this third book, but the story is fairly weak on its own. The cut-paper illustrations are well rendered.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by Janet Stevens. In this Southwest-flavored "Stone Soup" retelling, Jack Rabbit delights Two Circle Ranch by offering to make a tasty tumbleweed stew. Each new ingredient has its own picture, providing a handy vocabulary lesson. Humorous illustrations of desert creatures wearing cowboy accessories will amuse young readers. The pages are crowded with text in both English and Spanish.

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. Retired canine sheriff Ten-Gallon Bart is challenged to ride Crazy Bull when Buffalo Chip's Wild West Show comes to Dog City. Trouble is, Crazy Bull sleeps all day and must be awakened before he can be ridden. Bart's animal friends offer advice, but his own idea wins the day. Playfully busy cut-paper collage illustrations enhance the thin story.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. In this witty collection of letters, Mr. Mutt, "Canine Counselor," offers helpful, hilarious advice to dogs who write about their people problems. Since his replies include disparaging remarks about cats, the resident feline (known as "The Queen") threatens to shut down his operation. Expressive mixed-media illustrations feature a haughty kitty, complete with tiara, and a comical array of beleaguered dogs.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) PS Illustrated by Janet Stevens. When Merl the cat can't escape his family's large, slurpy new pup, he runs away only to be retrieved by the lovable dog--whom Merl finally decides to befriend. Merl's sardonic narration may bore the preschool audience, but the digital images in the illustrations, especially the black-and-white photos of human characters, add interest.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. After art school, friends Henri T. LaPooch and Vincent van Dog visit each other in the country and the city. As expected, neither likes the other's environment. The characters are loosely based on Toulouse-Lautrec and van Gogh, both of whose art is reflected in the attractive cut-paper illustrations. The book includes French phrases and an afterword about the artists.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) PS Illustrated by Janet Stevens. After Grandma creates a stuffed platypus from Grandpa's plaid shirt, her granddaughter vows never to lose it--but can't live up to her promise. Young children will enjoy the text's repetitions ("Plaidypus lost. / Plaidypus found. / This story goes around and around") and the thrill of finding a missing keepsake. The large-scale book's art features an irresistible Plaidypus.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. When a cat chases a mouse at 6:00 A.M., it sets in motion a sequence of events that ends an hour later with a robber in police custody, a dog reunited with his owner, and the cat back in bed. Although the book is rather over designed, the rhyming story and cut-paper collage illustrations are full of excitement and exaggeration.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. An armadillo in cowboy boots narrates this tale about a jackrabbit who wishes for horns and gets them. Pinocchio-like, the horns grow whenever he lies. The jackalope attracts the attention of a hungry coyote, so his bumbling fairy godrabbit tries to come to the rescue. The humor seems forced at times, but the "corny vegetable talk" is amusing, the illustrations are playful, and the busy tale lends itself well to reading aloud.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. This postmodern version of a classic nursery favorite pays homage to the past yet acknowledges contemporary sensibilities in a piquant combination of sprightly text and large, impeccably drawn illustrations. Dish and Spoon disappear one night, and the efforts of Cat, Dog, and Cow to locate the missing pair is the organizing theme of an inventive, amusing farce.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2001

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. Jack Rabbit fools the animals of Two Circle Ranch into supplying him with the makings of a wonderful stew. This well-written Texas-style variation on the "Stone Soup" story might have been more successful in a picture book format. The bold, crayon-pastel drawings completely overshadow the text blocks, making the book difficult for new readers.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) PS Illustrated by Janet Stevens. When Merl the cat can't escape his family's large, slurpy new pup, he runs away only to be retrieved by the lovable dog--whom Merl finally decides to befriend. Merl's sardonic narration may bore the preschool audience, but the digital and photographic images in the illustrations, especially the black-and-white photos of human characters, add interest.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Stevens. In a slapstick cooking lesson, Big Brown Rooster makes a strawberry shortcake with help from Turtle, Iguana, and Potbellied Pig--who look for flour in the garden and tablespoons under the table. Sidebars provide pointers and background information for would-be bakers. Digital and photographic images are seamlessly integrated into the large, elegantly composed mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1999