(4) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Chin Ko. This easy-reader biography spans President Lincoln's life, concluding just before his assassination. Beginning with a humorous physical description ("Abraham Lincoln said it himself: He was not a pretty man"), Dussling writes engagingly, incorporating direct quotes. While the format is inviting, the slick, cartoonlike illustrations seem out of place. Additional facts and archival photographs are appended. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Albert and Wanda find a shoe in the People's yard and want to bring it into their playroom--will it fit? Albert has a birthday party and gets presents of all shapes and sizes. Accompanied by cheery illustrations of friendly mice, the stories are unsubtle but effective vehicles for introducing nonstandard units of measurement (Shoe) and 3D shapes (Wish). Activities appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: If the Shoe Fits and Make a Wish, Albert!,

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Gross-Out Defenses series. Each book begins with a predator-versus-prey anecdote describing the featured animal's means of self-protection. Though defenses are the focus, standard animal facts (habitat, diet, young) are also covered. The short sentences of main text, accompanied by large and vibrant photographs, are easy to read; sidebars are a little less accessible to the intended emergent reader audience. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Gross-Out Defenses titles: Deadly Poison Dart Frogs and Bloody Horned Lizards.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(3) K-3 All Aboard Science Reader series. Illustrated by Lori Osiecki. This easy-reader text interweaves descriptions of historical earthquakes and tsunamis with sound explanations for their formation and information about how scientists measure and study them. The sentence structure is simple, but the narrative flows seamlessly from one important concept to the next. The art effectively illustrates key concepts.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 All Aboard Reading series. Illustrated by Denise Ortakales. "We live on the planet called Earth. Earth circles the sun. So do eight other planets." In a simple, informative text and clearly labeled cut-paper illustrations, Dussling and Ortakales introduce newly independent readers to the nine planets in the solar system. The repetition in the text, easy-to-read type, and short lines with plenty of leading all contribute to this book's accessibility.

Reviewer: Harry Clement Stubbs

(4) K-3 All Aboard Reading series. Illustrated by Peter Church. Unusual subject matter and engaging, detailed illustrations of churches and their stone waterspouts with exaggerated animal and human features unite to create a book that will interest the more sophisticated beginning reader. The illustrations of medieval scenes are more successful than the modern-day pictures, but the text will challenge readers as it holds their attention.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Eyewitness Readers series. Brace yourself for the cheery tone of these descriptions of bugs eating bugs in all manner of grisly consumption. After the carnage, some good information about insect defense mechanisms is presented. Nifty color photographs of a variety of insects are diminished by their layout on white backgrounds instead of their natural habitats.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Eyewitness Readers series. Dussling provides a basic introduction to the physical characteristics and habits of snakes in this early reader book. Close-up color photographs of snakes large and small are real attention-grabbers, and the book's mini-sidebars and brief appendix of snake facts make this a good entrée to nonfiction for young readers.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne